Celebrating Pat: a champion for her community

CONDUIT TO COUNCIL: Retired Gisborne district councillor Pat Seymour (from left) with husband Nick and daughter Andrea at a community celebration in Tolaga Bay to thank and honour Mrs Seymour after 21 years of service as a councillor. Picture by Wynsley Wrigley

Tina Turner's Simply the Best was played aloud as Pat Seymour entered Reynolds Hall.

The community of Uawa responded with a standing ovation and the recently retired Gisborne district councillor was compared to the world cup-winning Black Ferns as another great woman who had won the heart and minds of the people of Tairāwhiti.

About 100 people turned up to farewell and honour Mrs Seymour on Thursday after she retired at the last election as a councillor (Uawa and Tawhiti-Uawa wards) of 21 years— seven terms including being re-elected unopposed in 2013, 2016 and 2019.

Every speaker lauded Mrs Seymour as a great champion and representative of Uawa-Tolaga Bay and the wider Tairāwhiti.

Mrs Seymour devoted most of her speech to praising societal contributions from other individuals and organisations.

They were amazing, wonderful, successful and in the case of civil defence, unsung and unseen.

Representing Tolaga Bay and “acquiring Tokomaru Bay” for the last six years (after boundary changes) had been a privilege, she said.

She urged the local community to ensure the Uawa walkway and cycleway was completed.

Mrs Seymour struggled to control her emotions when it came to the many accolades and praise she received.

“They're really lovely people (Uawa community),” she later told The Herald. “They really value the work that council does — not necessarily me.”

Mrs Seymour described her role as that of a conduit between council and community.

“I'm really sincere. I don't think the public realise what small communities do for themselves. So much happens here . . . we just need a conduit to council to extract some funds from time to time.”

When asked if he would be seeing more of his wife, Mrs Seymour's husband Nick said: “Another job always pops up, my friend.”

Mayor Rehette Stoltz said she had no idea what she had let herself in for when she became a councillor in 2010.

Councillor Seymour took her “under her wing”.

The mayor said she valued their friendship and the council would continue to see her in her role as commissioner of the District Licensing Committee.

Former Mayor Meng Foon said he became mayor in 2001 when Mrs Seymour was already a “well-seasoned politician” — an apparent reference to her involvement in the organisational wing of the National Party.

She knew how council worked.

Mrs Seymour was the epitome of outstanding service to her local community service and the wider district, he said. Her retirement was the end of an era.

Mr Foon said he regretted the loss of bespoke rural ward representation and asked and answered the question who would represent the local community?

“You might as well ring Pat.”

Tolaga Bay Area School principal Nori Parata said Mrs Seymour had been an outstanding councillor.

The number of times she was elected unopposed indicated “your worth as a councillor and your representation of Uawa and Tairāwhiti”.

People who ran for public office opened themselves up to criticism. That had not happened with Mrs Seymour because of the nature of her relationship with the people of Uawa,” Mrs Parata said.

“You have always been open. You have been receptive, You might not always agree but you have listened.”

The people of Uawa felt they had a special relationship with Mrs Seymour, she said.