Departing Bay of Plenty Regional councillor Andrew von Dadelszen says he has “done his dash” after 15 years in the role.

Von Dadelszen lost the final Tauranga seat to Kat Macmillan by 248 votes in the October 11 election.

The final results were confirmed on Saturday, showing councillors Ron Scott (Tauranga), Lyall Thurston (Rotorua) and Te Taru White (Ōkurei) also missed out on re-election.

Von Dadelszen said he’d given 15 years to the council and did not plan to run again.

He said he was “naturally disappointed” to lose his seat but optimistic about what was ahead.

“I’m positive – that’s not to say I’m not gutted, because I was. It’s politics, it’s what you live with every day.”

Von Dadelszen said he was “sad” for the council because a lot of councillors who held leadership roles were not returning.

Five out of the 14 councillors were returning, and nine would serve their first term.

While councillors Scott, Thurston and White also missed out on seats, chairman Doug Leeder and councillors Jane Nees, Toi Kai Rākau Iti and Kevin Winters did not stand for re-election.

It would be “tough” for the council, but it would adapt, von Dadelszen said.

He joined the council in 2004 and served until 2010, when he lost his seat, before being re-elected in 2016.

Andrew von Dadelszen said he was “pretty instrumental” in getting the on-demand bus trial going. Photo / Alex Cairns

He said there were two things he had done with “excellence” while on the council.

One was his work as a hearing commissioner; the other was chairing the Public Transport Committee.

When he took up that role in 2005 there were 300,000 bus passengers a year. By 2024, this rose to 3.4 million.

Von Dadelszen said he was “instrumental” in getting the on-demand bus trial going, which was showing “real promise”.

The Tauranga South service has no set routes; instead people use an app to say where they want to go and when in the area.

A project he had a vision for was an orbiter service that ran a central route through Greerton, Cameron Rd, the city centre and Mount Maunganui, with smaller buses servicing the suburbs from this route.

“There’s still plenty of work to do and it’s a tough portfolio, public transport.”

He had “feelers out” for other opportunities.

He was also on the board of the National Party, which was a “big job”, especially with the general election next year.

“I like being busy.”

Scott said in a blog post he was “very disappointed” to be unseated after one term on the regional council.

He thanked his supporters and wished those elected well.

“I had no Plan B so am now on the lookout for appropriate roles.”

Ousted Bay of Plenty Regional councillor Lyall Thurston. Photo / Andrew Warner

Thurston lost his Rotorua seat after five terms, and has said he would not rule out standing again.

“It has been an absolute pleasure representing the people of Rotorua,” Thurston told the Rotorua Daily Post last week.

He wished councillors all the best with the “big challenges” ahead, including defending the important role of regional councils.

White said the council had been a “joy to work with” and advised the three Māori constituency councillors to work together.

They will be newcomers Allan Iwi Te Whau in Ōkurei and Marewa Karetai in Kohi, with Matemoana McDonald, who was re-elected as the Mauao representative.

Raj Kumar and Anna Grayling are the new Rotorua councillors.

In the Tauranga constituency, new councillors Tim Maltby, Glenn Dougal and Kate Graeme join returning councillors Stuart Crosby and Macmillan.

Former Western Bay of Plenty Deputy Mayor John Scrimgeour will join Ken Shirley in the Western Bay constituency.

Sarah van der Boom replaced Leeder in the Eastern constituency, joining returning councillor Malcolm Campbell.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.