Peter Butler happy with council mix

GOOD MIX: Outgoing CHB mayor Peter Butler says he's not surprised to see a lot of new faces at CHB District Council

Outgoing Central Hawke's Bay mayor Peter Butler says he's pretty happy with the initial results for the CHB mayoralty and council announced today.

"I've been studying the list, and we have a good mix in there of farming people, business people and those with a social/community focus.

"There's some experience in there with David Tennent, Ian Sharp and Kelly Annand, and it's my hope Ian Sharp is re-elected as deputy mayor with his experience."

He said he was not surprised with the result, although disappointed for incumbent councillors Maitland Manning, Mark Williams and Terry Kingston who were not re-elected.

"These three men have been there a long time - was this the year for change?"

It seemed so, and this afternoon he said he had spoken to nearly all the newly elected councillors, as well as the defeated ones, and that he would look on with interest as to how the new council performed.

An area of concern, he said, was the Hawke's Bay Regional Council, which at this stage looked to have had five anti-dam candidates elected.

"That's a big worry for CHB, but we have to be positive and say it's still going to happen."

In that light, he added that a primary focus for the new council would need to be working to ensure the infrastructure was in place to cope with expected expansion in the district as a result of the scheme.

"New reticulation of water is going to be major thing which we had made a start with, and there's some experience on council to help with that."