Moratorium on Ruataniwha Dam action called for by new Regional Councillor

Neil Kirton says he is excited to be returning to Hawke's Bay Regional Council. PHOTO/FILE

Returned Hawke's Bay Regional Councillor Neil Kirton will be calling for a moratorium on any Ruataniwha Dam action until the new council has "got all our ducks in a row".

Mr Kirton, who left the council in 2013 following four terms, is one of its two new Napier councillors - based on the counting of approximately 98 per cent of the returned voting papers.

Excited to be back on council, Mr Kirton said he was looking forward to having a "good crack" at some unfinished business, and some challenges facing the council.

"The central issue is the dam," he said, "my view on that is people are demanding a great deal more transparency."

Using the David Lange adage, Mr Kirton said it was "time to stop and have a cup of tea".

"It is particularly obvious that council need to stop and re-evaluate, re-assign, and table everything until there has been more public discussion," he said.

Mr Kirton said he was calling for a moratorium on any future action concerning the dam, "until we've got all our ducks in a row".

Other issues he was looking forward to tackling including compliance and consents around water.

Although he had been feeling uncertain about the results, Mr Kirton said he had "had a good feeling".

Progress results released today showed he had a 2000 vote lead over incumbent Napier councillor Alan Dick.

Campaigning had a different feel this time, he said, as he had received more phone calls, and been stopped by more people, than in any of his previous ones.

It had been good that "a good number of people" were wanting to talk about the issues, as it showed they were ....

Mr Kirton said he would not be celebrating his appointment until results for the District Health Board came in - which his wife Diana Kirton is a candidate for.