One new trustee for Northpower

Paul Yovich polled 7352 to become the new trustee of Northpower.

Northpower Electric Power Trust has one new trustee in place of Tony Davies-Colley who did not seek re-election.

In the preliminary results announced on Saturday afternoon, Paul Yovich polled 7352 to become the new trustee while four sitting trustees, Trust chairman Erc Angelo, Irene Durham, Bill Rossiter, and Ross Provan, were re-elected in the Whangarei ward.

Mr Angelo received 10,370 votes, Ms Durham 11,515, Mr Rossiter 7807, and Mr Provan 6988.

Sue Glen, Warren Moyes and Murray Broadbelt missed out after receiving 6402, 5751 and 5544 votes respectively.

Five trustees were elected from Whangarei while two from Kaipara - Richard Drake and Sheena McKenzie - were elected unopposed when nominations closed on September 23.

Electoral officer Dale Ofsoske said there were 38 informal votes and 22 blank votes returned.

The voter turnout of 25.44 per cent this year was slightly down from the 2013 election when 26.7 per cent of votes were received.

Northpower's electricity customers vote for the trustees.

Northpower Trust holds all Northpower Ltd shares, appoints and monitors directors and approves the Northpower Group's audited accounts.

Northpower Ltd, with a board of appointed directors, owns and manages the electricity lines network in Whangarei and Kaipara and also owns one of New Zealand's largest electricity distribution contracting businesses, with centres across the North Island.

The Northpower "Group" includes Northpower Ltd, West Coast Energy and a 46 per cent investment in Northpower Fibre in which it partners with the Crown.

As with local body elections, the trustees can only act within the direction of the trust deed; election promises mean nothing once elected.

Next year, the new trust will undertake a five-yearly ownership review to determine if the public want to retain the shares in Northpower or dispose of them.

In 2016, trustees' honorariums ranged from the chairman's $49,011 to $26,500 for non-office holding trustees.