Western Bay of Plenty District Council's Mayor and councillors are being sworn in today during the council's inaugural meeting beginning in Katikati at 1pm.

This is the first time since 2004 the inaugural meeting following local body elections has been held in Katikati and it will begin with a powhiri, followed by the declaration to serve the community by re-elected Mayor Ross Paterson, his councillors and community board members.

Ross Paterson will be sworn in again as Mayor of Western Bay of Plenty District Council today.

By making their declarations, the councillors and community board members are also pledging to be bound by up to 158 pieces of legislation which govern how councils operate.

However, a full council will not be sworn in as councillor elect Graeme Crossman (Maketu-Te Puke Ward) resigned on October 22 citing unexpected business developments.

A by-election will be held next year to fill his vacancy.

A by-election is also required for the Waihi Beach Community Board due to an insufficient number of candidates standing for election when nominations closed in August.

Under the required timeframe of the Local Electoral Act the earliest a by-election can be held is February 10, 2014.

In moves designed to enable ratepayers throughout the district to witness proceedings, previous inaugural meetings have been held in Te Puke, Omokoroa and at council's head office at Barkes Corner, Tauranga.

Tauranga City's councillors and re-elected Mayor Stuart Crosby were sworn in last week.

Look out for SunLive's coverage of today's meeting, including Ross' mayoral speech, later in the day.

Those being sworn in today:

Mayor

• Ross James PATERSON

Ward councillors

Katikati/Waihi Beach

• Ross GOUDIE
• Peter MACKAY
• Mike WILLIAMS

Kaimai Ward

• Gwenda MERRIMAN
• Margaret MURRAY-BENGE
• Don THWAITES
• Garry WEBBER

Maketu/Te Puke Ward

• Karyl GUNN
• Kevin MARSH
• John Robert SCRIMGEOUR

Community Board

Katikati

• Sam DUNLOP
• Brendan GIBBS
• Jenny HOBBS
• Fern NIELSON

COMMUNITY BOARD VACANCIES

Omokoroa Community Board

• Donald CAMERON
• Tim MAURICE
• John PALMER
• Chris WOODS

Te Puke Community Board

• Grant DALLY
• Peter MILLER
• Ronald Parker SPRATT
• Keith Allen WRATT

Maketu Shane BEECH

• Gus CANTLON
• Rachel CLARK
• Kelly HENDERSON