Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Whangarei has a new mayor

Updated at 5:33 pm on 9 October 2010

Whangarei has a new mayor, Morris Cutforth.

Mr Cutforth, a local celebrant and former auctioneer, has defeated the incumbent, Stan Semenoff, by more than 2500 votes.

Brown re-elected in Far North

Progress results for the Far North District Council show Mayor Wayne Brown re-elected by a very slim majority.

Mr Brown has 5573 votes, just 541 ahead of nearest rival Sir John Goulter.

Long-serving councillor Laurie Byers has come third with 3700 votes.

Northland council chairman out

The long-serving chairman of the Northland Regional Council has lost his job.

Mark Farnsworth was challenged for the Kaipara seat on council by a former mayor of that district Graeme Ramsey.

Mr Ramsey has beaten Mr Farnsworth by more than 1000 votes on Saturday.

Another long-serving regional councillor, Peter Jensen, also lost his seat.

Regional councillors will select a new chairman by vote.

Two new councillors have won seat both from the Go Northland ticket - Tony Davies-Colley and Bronwyn Hunt.

However, Ms Hunt is just four votes ahead of former MP Dover Samuels at this point.

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