Hawke's Bay's longest-serving councillor and his advice for newcomers

Cr Kevin Watkins is now into a remarkable eighth term as a Hastings councillor after being re-elected. Photo / Paul Taylor

Hawke's Bay's longest-serving councillor Kevin Watkins has shared his advice for newcomers joining councils across the region, after being elected to his eighth-straight term.

Watkins, 73, was first elected onto Hastings District Council in 2001, and was re-elected this month for an eighth successive term as a Hastings councillor.

"I was pretty thrilled - eight terms is a long innings.

"To do another three years is a big honour and privilege, and I guess [shows] confidence from our local people that they are happy with what I am doing."

He spoke to Hawke's Bay Today and shared some advice for the new councillors who will be joining councils across Hawke's Bay following the latest local body elections.

"When you walk in there, it can feel intimidating.

"You will think everybody else knows how it works except you - and I would say to them, 'The only dumb question is the question you don't ask'."

He said the best councils he had been part of were the ones where there was unity.

"I guess over my terms I have seen councillors, in my view, have had their own personal agendas.

"I don't think that has always been constructive.

"The best council tri-unions I have been involved with have been those where the people around the table say, 'Hey, look, we are here for the betterment of the Hastings district, and we will work as a team to achieve that.'"

Cr Kevin Watkins has been driving Santa around the streets of Hastings and Havelock North in the lead-up to Christmas for over 20 years. Photo / NZME

He also said a practical tip was attending the meetings and being on time.

Watkins said you don't have to try and "change the world in five minutes" - that there was a lot to learn, and that it would take time.

Hastings District Council will see one of the biggest shake-ups of any council in Hawke's Bay with six new councillors elected, including three new Māori ward (Takitimu ward) councillors.

Historian and chartered accountant Michael Fowler is one of the new councillors coming on board.

He said he was looking forward to using his skill set, and had a strong interest in the libraries.

"I am really interested in the library, in terms of future-proofing and moving digitally [...] and just to bring the libraries into modern times."

He also said as a historian, he had a good knowledge of past decisions made by the council as well as the history of the region - but joked he would not "be standing up and giving everybody history lessons".

Hawke's Bay's longest-serving councillor, Watkins, said it was an easy decision to run for his eighth-straight term given all the exciting developments and investments across Hastings.

He did not rule out running for another term in the future.

The former building mover is perhaps best known for driving a large Santa float around Hastings and Havelock North streets in the lead-up to Christmas each year for over two decades.

He has also been on 13 trips to China and has become something of a Hastings ambassador to China and official sister city Guilin, which led to the Chinese lantern festival being established in Hastings.

The second-longest-serving councillor in Hawke's Bay is Wairoa councillor Denise Eaglesome-Karekare, who was successfully re-elected this month and has been on that council since a byelection in 2002.

Hawke's Bay councils elected for new term (2022-2025):
Napier City Council: Kirsten Wise (Mayor), Hayley Browne, Keith Price, Richard McGrath, Annette Brosnan, Greg Mawson, Maxine Boag, Sally Crown, Juliet Greig*, Graeme Taylor, Nigel Simpson, Ronda Chrystal, Chad Tareha*.
Hastings District Council: Sandra Hazlehurst (Mayor), Eileen Lawson, Wendy Schollum, Malcolm Dixon, Michael Fowler*, Kevin Watkins, Damon Harvey, Simon Nixon, Henry Heke*, Marcus Buddo*, Ana Apatu*, Kellie Jessup*, Renata Nepe*, Tania Kerr, Alwyn Corban, Ann Redstone.
Wairoa District Council: Craig Little (Mayor), Denise Eaglesome-Karekare, Jeremy Harker, Roz Thomas*, Benita Cairns*, Chaans Tumataroa-Clarke, Melissa Kaimoana.
Central Hawke's Bay District Council: Alex Walker (Mayor), Tim Aitken, Jerry Greer, Brent Muggeridge, Kate Taylor, Pip Burne, Gerard Minehan, Kelly Annand, Exham Wichman.
Hawke's Bay Regional Council: Neil Kirton, Martin Williams, Hinewai Ormsby, Jock Mackintosh*, Sophie Siers*, Xan Harding*, Jerf van Beek, Will Foley, Di Roadley*, Charles Lambert*, Thompson Hokianga*.
*New councillors