Outgoing Kawerau mayor Malcolm Campbell skates into regional council

Outgoing Kawerau mayor Malcolm Campbell is now a Bay of Plenty Regional Councillor. Photo / Supplied

Before he is even officially elected, Malcolm Campbell says his upcoming new position has had him busy.

"I can tell you now, it's like putting a pair of roller skates on again," Campbell said.

In the preliminary election results for the two Eastern Bay Constituency seats on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Campbell, who is retiring from 21 years as Kawerau mayor, has received 7536 votes, 1887 more than Doug Leeder, who is in second place.

The two men appear to have a lead too large to be changed by special votes, the final results are due to be announced.

Sarah van der Boom is in third place with 4263, followed by Russell Orr (2903) and Mawera Karetai (2319).

"It's been pretty hard work and we've put a lot into it, but I'm very surprised at the actual outcome so far. We're really happy with that," Campbell said. "I'm quite humbled by the result."

Campbell said that having lived in the region all of his life and knowing a lot of people right around the region, as well as being a mayor, had helped with his election results.

"I've had a lot of dealings with farmers too, over the years, so I'm pretty well known."

He said he had already been receiving briefings from the regional council about the job in front of him.

"We've just had briefings since Saturday night, basically. Mainly yesterday, but we've got three meetings straight away this week, tomorrow, Thursday and Friday and then a big workload right through until Christmas. A lot of it is about getting ourselves orientated around what's going on in the system."

He said a retreat with other councillors after Labour Day would have to take a back seat, however, as it clashed with the swearing-in meetings of both Ōpōtiki and Kawerau district councils.

"It's clashed a little bit … so I might have to take a bit of time out. That's what I promised, that we would be a little more open and transparent and be seen, and I don't want to start by going against what I did say. That's a big part of it. We've got to get the territorials and regional council working together.

"Of course, with five new mayors across the region that's going to be a big challenge. Faylene [Tunui] is the only mayor who has had any experience because I've always had her with me for the last three years at mayoral forums and civil defence and other committees. We've also got four new councillors on regional, two in Tauranga, one in Western Bays and myself."

In other constituencies, it is looking as though Matemoana McDonald has won the Māuao Māori Constituency; Stuart Crosby, Ron Scott, Paula Thompson, Andrew von Dadelszen and Kat Macmillan look to have won the Tauranga Regional Constituency; Kevin Winters and Lyall Thurston have been returned for the Rotorua Regional Constituency; Jane Nees and Ken Shirley for the Western Bay of Plenty General Constituency; and Raina Meha is just seven votes ahead of Te Taru White in the Ōkurei Māori Constituency.

Toi Iti has been elected unopposed in the Kōhi Māori Constituency.