Left, right and centre - it's a council for all

Len Brown. Photo / Doug Sherring

The first Auckland Council leans to the left with plenty of ballast in the centre and some counterweight on the right.

The council is a balance of experience, youth and gender.

It has eight women councillors, two Pacific Island and two Maori councillors, but no representation from any other ethnic groups.

Most important, Mayor Len Brown should have no difficulty working with the council to bed in the Super City and deliver his vision for Auckland.

He will be able to draw on the experience of five sitting or former council leaders, including former Auckland City Mayor Christine Fletcher, who spearheaded the Britomart transport terminal, and Mike Lee, with his vast knowledge of public transport and regional issues as chairman of the Auckland Regional Council for the past two terms.

Former North Shore Mayor George Wood, Rodney Mayor Penny Webster and Papakura Mayor Calum Penrose are to the right of Mr Brown, but he has good personal and working relationships with all three.

The right-leaning Citizens & Ratepayers ticket, which had hoped to win 10 or 11 seats, has suffered a huge blow.

Not only did it win only five seats, but it lost several heavy hitters and was humiliated in its traditional heartland of Orakei, where Cameron Brewer trounced C&R deputy leader Doug Armstrong.

The C&R team on the council is an odd mix of Mr Wood, Mrs Fletcher, Manukau City councillor Jami-Lee Ross, Auckland City councillor Noelene Raffills and Franklin Deputy Mayor Des Morrison.

Mr Ross and Mr Brewer are likely to be the most vocal voices of the right but have the talent to play a constructive role in the new council.

The left-leaning City Vision ticket has Richard Northey and Cathy Casey on the council, plus Mr Lee, who was endorsed by the Auckland City-based ticket in the Waitemata and Gulf ward.

Mr Northey, a former Labour MP, is a hard-working trooper. His first stint as a city councillor was in 1979. Dr Casey is probably the most left-wing councillor and can be dogmatic.

Another councillor who can dig in her heels is Waitakere's Sandra Coney. But she brings a wealth of knowledge from the ARC, and a sharp intellect.

The other Waitakere councillor, Penny Hulse, is also expected to make a big contribution at the top table.

The North Shore has elected Mr Wood and former Labour MP Ann Hartley from a strong pack of contenders.

Mr Wood returns to local government after losing the North Shore mayoralty to Andrew Williams in 2007.

Mrs Hartley just edged out North Shore council colleague Grant Gillon, another former MP, and Families Commissioner Christine Rankin.

In the Albany ward - part Rodney, part North Shore - voters have elected two Rodney councillors.

The young and energetic Michael Goudie has a promising political career. The other councillor is Wayne Walker.

With Mrs Webster, the rural district has three voices on thecouncil.

In South Auckland, Manukau has elected two Pacific Island councillors, Labour's Alf Filipaina and former National MP Arthur Anae who, despite his political leanings, is a huge fan of Mr Brown.

Manurewa-Papakura has chosen Mr Penrose and Sir John Walker, who now has the opportunity to introduce his Field of Dreams sports programme to young people throughout the Auckland region.

Howick's Jami-Lee Ross, 24, of Ngati Porou, is another young and promising councillor, but cast in the C&R partisan mould.

The other Howick councillor is Sharon Stewart, a Brown supporter with a record of crossing swords with Mr Ross and his unsuccessful C&R colleague in Howick, Dick Quax.

Des Morrison, a C&R candidate and a former New Zealand Steel executive of Ngapuhi descent, is another right-leaning councillor expected to work well with Mr Brown.