Hunt can't wait to get stuck back in

Rotorua Lakes councillor Karen Hunt can't wait to get stuck in.

It may have been the portfolio that almost cost her a seat around the council table, but Karen Hunt can't wait to get stuck back in to the inner city portfolio role.

Ms Hunt looks set to have secured another term on the Rotorua Lakes Council following the counting of late votes which put her ahead of councillor Mike McVicker for the last council position.

She said while being the public face of the inner city revitalisation project may have almost been her unseating she wanted to get stuck back into the projects and wanted to retain her portfolio.

"While change is inevitable, growth is intentional. We are doing intentional growth."

She said she was grateful to be spending today looking to a future in council, instead of cleaning out her office.

"I love my job and I so believe in the vision."

Ms Hunt said she was about making the right decisions, not the popular decisions, for the future of Rotorua.

"It also reminds me some projects are ugly ducklings that haven't yet grown into beautiful swans."

She said the controversial Green Corridor was one which "hadn't yet lived up to potential".

"It is still early days and it is really just one piece of the domino."

Ms Hunt said tomorrow she would have her one-on-one with mayor Steve Chadwick.

However, she said her goals so far for the next term focused on continuing to reinvigorate the central city.

"I hope to continue with some of the work I've done this year but that will come out with discussions with the mayor."

Ms Hunt said she had been overwhelmed with the support from the community when early results looked like she had lost her seat.

"I think the silver lining is it reminded me of how much we have done and what is at stake if we take our eye off the ball."

Ms Hunt said that during the last term she was aware being the public face of the inner city and the work which was being done might cost her a seat.

She admitted while it was a bit scary how close she came to that, she said she would be happy to get back into the portfolio because she believed "it was the right thing".