Central Hawke's Bay District Council
The council covers the towns of Waipawa and Waipukurau, and the surrounding rural communities. The council is the result of the Waipukurau District Council and Waipara District Council merging in 1989.
The council is led by the mayor of Central Hawke's Bay, who is currently Alex Walker.
Composition
Central Hawke's Bay District Council is made up of one mayor and eight councillors. The district is divided into two wards, which each elect four councillors. Ruataniwha is an urban ward based on the towns of Waipukurau and Waipawa. Aramoana-Ruahine is a largely rural ward. The council seat is in Waipawa. The mayor is elected at large. The council seat is in Waipawa.
| Ward | Councillor | Affiliation | First elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor | Alex Walker | None | 2013 |
| Ruataniwha | Pip Burne | Your voice, our community | 2022 |
| Gerard Minehan | Your Local Voice at the Council table | 2016 | |
| Kelly Annand | None | 2013 | |
| Exham Wichman | The voice of your generation | 2019 | |
| Aramoana-Ruahine | Tim Aitken | None | 2016 |
| Jerry Greer | None | 2019 | |
| Brent Muggeridge | None | 2016 | |
| Kate Taylor | None | 2019 |
History
The origins of the council date back to the Waipawa County Council, established in 1876.
Patangata County Council split off in 1885. Waipukurau County Council, Waipukurau Borough Council, Patangata County Council, Woodville County Council, Dannevirke County Council, and Waipawa Borough Council split off in 1908.
Waipukurau County Council merged with Patangata County Council in 1974 and Waipukurau Borough Council in 1977 to form Waipukurau District Council.
The other councils merged in 1978, to form Waipawa District Council.
Waipukurau District Council and Waipawa District Council merged in 1989, to create the modern council.
2022–2025 term
Māori wards
Following the decision of the Sixth National Government to force local councils to either abolish Māori wards or hold a referendum on their continued existence, the council voted in a 5–4 decision to retain them and thus to hold a referendum, to occur alongside the 2025 local elections.
| Ward |  For
|
 Against
|
|---|---|---|
| Alex Walker (mayor) | ||
| Aramoana/Ruahine | Kate Taylor | Jerry Greer |
| Tim Aitken | ||
| Brent Muggeridge | ||
| Ruataniwha | Kelly Annand (DM) | Gerard Minehan |
| Pip Burne | ||
| Exham Wichman | ||
| Total | 5 | 4 |
Notes
- ^ includes councillors that had unique and non-notable affiliations
References
- ^ "About Central Hawke's Bay District Council". Central Hawke's Bay District Council.
- ^ Fraser, B. (1986). The New Zealand Book of Events. Auckland: Reed Methuen.
- ^ White, L. (compiler), Whites Pictorial Reference of New Zealand. Whites Aviation Limited, Auckland, 1952
- ^ "History of Central Hawke's Bay District". Central Hawke's Bay District Council.
- ^ Wise, Rachel (5 September 2024). "Central Hawke's Bay District Council affirms decision to have Māori wards". Hawke's Bay Today via NZHerald.