Watson back as mayor in a landslide

Andy Watson is back as mayor of Rangitikei District Council for another three years after a landslide victory in Saturday's election.

Mr Watson, who became mayor in 2013, polled a convincing 3387 votes, well ahead of his rivals Robert Snijders (659 votes) and George London (343 votes).

In Rangitikei's Taihape ward, sitting councillors Angus Gordon, Ruth Rainey and Richard Aslett were re-elected.

However, provisional results shows that Bulls has two new representatives. Tim Harris (284 votes) and Rebecca McNeil (143) failed to retain their seats, losing out to Graeme Platt (534 votes), and Jane Dunn (363)

leading the way in the Marton ward was sitting councillor Nigel Belsahm (1606 votes), newcomer Dave Wilson (1258), Cath Ash (1078) and Lynne Sheridan (847), the latter two also being current councillors.

Deputy mayor Dean McManaway and Soraya Peke-Mason were elected unopposed in Hunterville and Turakina respectively.