Whanganui councillors unopposed at Horizons Regional Council

Horizons Regional Council - who gets to sit at this table next year? Photo / File

Whanganui's Horizons councillors are the only ones in the region to be elected unopposed to their two seats this year.

There were 29 nominations for Horizons Regional Council's 12 seats, electoral officer Craig Grant said, and the nominees come from a variety of backgrounds that will provide diversity.

Whanganui's Nicola Patrick said she was grateful to keep her seat for a second term. She'll be keen to get more gains for freshwater, increase compliance work, get council committee meetings livestreamed and see climate and buy-local policies through.

David Cotton, elected unopposed for this third term, felt it was a vote of confidence that the two are dealing with the real issues in their area.

His focus has always been rates restraint and sticking to core business, and this term both he and Patrick want to get improvement in water quality for the Mowhanau, Kai Iwi and Ototoka streams.

"There's been a lot of stream planting and fencing done, but we need to do more, faster."

There is one Ruapehu seat at the council table, and incumbent Bruce Rollinson is not standing. Richard Steele, Weston Kirton and Moana Ellis are the three competing for it.

Rangitīkei-Manawatu has two seats and six nominations. The incumbents Bruce Gordon and Gordon McKellar are both standing, with Teresa Schulz, Leslie Pillow, Soraya Peke-Mason and John Turkington putting their hands up.

Palmerston North gets four seats, with seven people vying for them. Incumbent Paul Rieger is standing down but three others - Rachel Keedwell, Wiremu Te Aweawe and Jono Naylor - are standing again. And four others want in - Chris Teo-Sherrel, Jack Dowds, Fiona Gordon and Darryl Cleland.

Just one seat is going in Tararua, and incumbent John Barrow is not standing. Allan Benbow, Andrew Day and Lorraine Stephenson have stepped up to contest it.

The Horowhenua's two seats are the most hotly contested of all. One incumbent, Colleen Sheldon, has resigned but her fellow councillor Lindsay Burnell is standing for another term. There are six more nominees: Phil Taueki, Sam Ferguson, Michael Kay, Geoff Kane, Owen Greig, Karen Adams and Emma Clarke.