Last term for local government stalwart Alan Dick

Alan Dick has been re-elected to the seat he has held since 2004. PHOTO/FILE

After 27 years as a figure of local government in Hawke's Bay, this term will be regional councillor Alan Dick's last.

Based on preliminary results from Saturday's election, Mr Dick has been re-elected to the Napier seat on Hawke's Bay Regional Council.

"Naturally I'm very pleased," he said, adding there would probably be some big changes in council this term.

Some of the results of the weekend's election had surprised Mr Dick - from the "very close call" between Wairoa candidates Fenton Wilson and Dean Whaanga, and former Hastings deputy mayor Cynthia Bowers' being unsuccessful in her bid for a Hastings ward seat.

"I congratulate the winners and commiserate with the losers," he said.

However Mr Dick - who has spent 12 years representing Napier on the council - says this term will be his last.

He said he greatly enjoyed his time in local government, starting in 1983 when he spent a term as a Napier City Councillor.

"I've enjoyed doing it, otherwise I wouldn't keep going," he said. "Positive things have been achieved."

He returned to local government after a three-year-break in 1989, wearing two hats as a member of the regional council, and as Napier's mayor.

While his regional council role ended in 1992, he remained mayor until 2001.

His last term on the regional council will be reminiscent of previous ones, as he will be joined by former Napier ward councillor Neil Kirton - one of the two new councillors elected over the weekend.

The other, Paul Bailey, has also won a spot in the Napier ward.

Mr Dick said he had never had any problems working with Mr Kirton previously. Although he and Mr Bailey did not agree on some things, Mr Dick said time would tell on how well they could work together.