Invercargill City Council’s current crop of elected members has reached the end of its term, with the final Council meeting before local body elections set to take place on Tuesday.

Postal voting in this year’s local body elections was now under way, with election day to be held on Saturday, 11 October. Local body elections in New Zealand take place every three years.

Council Chief Executive Michael Day said the milestone was an opportunity to acknowledge the contribution and commitment made by elected members throughout their three-year term. “Like every term, this one has been full of challenges as well as a number of significant achievements in both Invercargill and Bluff.

Elected members have played a pivotal role in shaping the direction of our community, and their contributions have made a tangible difference in ensuring it continues to thrive in the future,” he said. “On behalf of our entire community, I want to recognise and thank them for their service – particularly those who are now standing down.” Mayor Nobby Clark, alongside councillors Lesley Soper and Peter Kett, have chosen not to seek re-election.

Outgoing Council memebers, from left - Mana Whenua representative Reverend Evelyn Cook. Cr Peter Kett, Mayor Nobby Clark, Cr Lesley Soper. Photo: Supplied

Mayor Clark had served one term in his role leading the Council, following his election to the position in 2022. He was first elected as a Councillor in 2019, and the following year was appointed to the position of Deputy Mayor.

Throughout his time with Invercargill City Council, he had served on several committees including Infrastructure and Projects, Community Wellbeing and Regulatory, Finance and Policy, and Risk and Assurance.

He was also a member of the Community Wellbeing Fund and City Centre Heritage subcommittees. Councillor Soper, meanwhile, had served three terms as an Invercargill City Councillor after having first been elected in 2016, and had held several committee positions.

These included positions on the Infrastructure and Projects, Community Wellbeing and Regulatory, Risk and Assurance, and Invercargill District Licensing committees. Her tenure also included stints chairing both the Finance and Policy Committee and the City Centre Heritage Subcommittee.

Councillor Kett had served seven terms as an elected member since first being elected in 1998, and had held positions on the Infrastructure and Projects, Invercargill District Licensing, and Community Wellbeing and Regulatory committees.

He had also held positions on the Community Wellbeing Fund and City Centre Heritage subcommittees. Meanwhile, three current members of the Bluff Community Board were also set to stand down from their roles. Sam Graham and Terina Stockwell had each served one term on the board, having first been elected in 2022, while Tammi Topi had served two terms – she was first elected to the board in 2019.

Day said it was vital for members of the community to continue to engage with local government. “The decisions made around the Council table have a real impact on our everyday lives. They shape our roads, our parks, our pipes, our libraries, our community facilities, and more,” he said. “With local body elections set to close on 11 October, now is the perfect time to think about whose values align with yours, and whose vision for our community represents your own.

Every vote matters, and the future of Invercargill and Bluff depends on our community having its say on who should lead it.” Twenty-seven candidates are contesting seats around the Invercargill City Council table, while eight are vying for Mayor.

Meanwhile, seven people are vying for five spots on the Bluff Community Board, and eight are in the running for the Invercargill Licensing Trust. Voting papers could be dropped into a range of locations within the community, including at Te Hīnaki - Civic Building on Esk St, at the elections hub in Invercargill Central, the Bluff Service Centre, and any of the orange Vote Murihiku bins throughout Invercargill and Bluff.

For more information on this year’s elections, including information on candidates, the locations of Vote Murihiku bins, and how to cast a Special Vote, visit icc.govt.nz/elections