Penny Hulse congratulates Bill Cashmore on deputy role

National Party member Bill Cashmore is Auckland's new deputy mayor. Photo / Supplied

Outgoing Auckland deputy mayor Penny Hulse has this morning congratulated her "friend" Bill Cashmore for replacing her in the role.

Mayor elect Phil Goff will announce at 1pm today that Cashmore, a second-term councillor from Franklin, will be his deputy.

Hulse, who has been deputy mayor for two terms under former mayor Len Brown, is expected to get a senior committee role.

Writing on Facebook, Hulse said: "Bill and I have worked closely together for the last three years and he has been a wise and hard working fellow councillor. He will do a great job and I will really enjoy working with him."

It is understood that North Shore councillor Chris Darby and Whau councillor Ross Clow will also be appointed as chairs of major committees.

Cashmore is seen as solid, likeable, a good operator and capable of getting numbers round the council table. It is understood he was always the frontrunner for the job, which comes with a salary of $151,850. He is 59.

Hulse was ruled out early because of her close ties to former Mayor Len Brown and a desire by Goff to put distance between his council and the Brown-Hulse regime. She also does not have good relations with some councillors.

Cashmore yesterday said he had not officially heard that he had been appointed deputy.

"If it's true I'm humbled and I will put my back to the job as hard as I possibly can.

"Penny Hulse set the bar very, very high and I recommended to Phil she should stay as deputy. I will be going to Penny Hulse for advice and guidance because I have a huge amount of respect for her, " Cashmore said.