Marlborough's new mayor Nadine Taylor says she's honoured to be elected to the role with such a vote of confidence from the community.
Marlborough's new mayor Nadine Taylor Photo: RNZ / Tracy Neal
Progress results show Taylor won by a landslide in Marlborough with 11,538 votes - ahead of the runner-up Labour Party's Matt Flight who got 2074 votes but was successfully elected as a councillor.
Taylor was surrounded by her family when she received the news over the weekend and said she was thrilled with the community support.
She said the region has faced challenges from the effects of Covid-19 and severe weather events that have battered the region over the last few years.
One of the most pressing issues facing the council is assessing the future viability of roads in the Marlborough Sounds, where many people remain without connectivity and road access.
"Marlborough has had two major weather events in two consecutive years and there's a community out there in the Marlborough Sounds that is really hurting at the moment, so that already is our first focus."
Taylor served as deputy mayor and a Marlborough Sounds councillor in the last triennium and said a number of people remain without connectivity and road access after the August storm.
"It's challenging to make sure that their wellbeing and welfare needs are looked after, but we also know we have to do a big piece of work, research and assessment in [the Kenepuru Road's] future viability, particularly in terms of climate change, and we need to understand can we fix it, can we afford to fix it, how do we go about that?"
She said the impact of more frequent and severe weather events was clear.
"Our job as a council is to make sure we set the right direction that we are doing the work so we are future proofing Marlborough for the next 20 years, 30 years and well beyond."
Taylor said she would be taking a look at the portfolio and committee structures in the coming weeks.
"I am quite keen to see us put a lot more emphasis on climate change and the climate change adaptation work that council will have to lead in terms of weather events and the sea level rise data we've got coming.
"I'll be looking at how I structure council to make sure that we achieve some really good outcomes for the province."
Taylor said there were a number of exciting things happening across the region and she planned to meet with the councillors, half of who had been newly elected, in the coming weeks to understand what they hoped to achieve over the next three years.
Progress results show the newcomers on council include Ben Minehan and Raylene Innes in the Marlborough Sounds ward, Scott Adams and Mike Insley in the Wairau-Awatere Ward along with Deborah Dalliessi and Cyril Dawson in the Blenheim Ward.
Waikawa Marae manager Allanah Burgess was elected in the new Māori ward seat.
Taylor said the KiwiRail iReX project which will see the development of a new ferry terminal in Picton, expansion of the viticulture industry and the building of a new combined college, Te Tātoru o Wairau, were all exciting pieces of work for the region.
"We've got an exciting three years ahead and I am really, really pleased that I am going to be able to play a part in that."