Hamilton City Councillor Mark Donovan resigns with only months left to election

Mark Donovan is the third councillor to resign this term. Photo / Supplied

Hamilton East Ward councillor Mark Donovan has resigned, effective immediately.

Donovan was first elected as a councillor in the 2021 byelection and was re-elected in the 2022 local government elections.

“After much consideration, I have made the decision to step down from my role on council to focus on other commitments,” he said in a statement.

“Serving on the council and representing ... the city at large for the past three and half years has been a privilege and an honour. I have learned a great deal... and I will carry these learnings with me as I move forward in my life.”

Donovan was the chairman of the Regulatory and Hearings Committee, the Traffic, Speed Limit and Road Closure Hearings Panel, and the Dog Control Hearings Panel, and deputy chairman of the Economic Development Committee. He also held the Sports Ambassador role.

Last year, aside from being a councillor, Donovan took on the role of New Zealand sales manager at Tetra Pak.

He said he already considered resigning from the council then but was convinced by “a few people” to stay on.

Speaking after his resignation yesterday, Donovan said: “I believe my business experience can better be utilised in an environment where real progress can be made more swiftly.”

Another reason for stepping down was his family.

“My family has been a big part of my decision. Family always comes first.”

Donovan said he would continue working in his role at Tetra Pak and also stay on as a board member of the Waikato Chamber of Commerce.

On social media, Donovan, an avid cricket fan, used a couple of cricket analogies to describe his time with the council.

“At times, the council chambers have felt like a cricket pitch. I’ve bowled a few spinners, batted away a few full tosses, but thankfully haven’t been caught in the slips!

“I liken it more to the club rooms – it’s a place of teamwork, comradery, good banter, tea and biscuits!

“For now, I’ll put the bat down and the pads away and encourage the next generation of business owners to step up to the pitch.”

Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate thanked Donovan for his service.

“Council acknowledges his positive contributions and passion for the city particularly in his roles as Deputy of Economic Development and Sports Ambassador. We appreciate his hard work and wish him all the best for his future.”

The resignation does not automatically trigger a byelection as it falls within 12 months of the local elections in October.

The council will consider this and the reallocation of duties at the next council meeting on March 20.

Donovan is the third councillor to resign this term, after Ryan Hamilton, who became an MP in 2023, and Melaina Huaki who stepped down from the role in May last year citing health reasons.