Te Puke councillor Paul Thomas is appointed Western Bay of Plenty District Council Deputy Mayor following the swearing in of the new council at Omokoroa on Wednesday. Mayor Ross Paterson, who was re-elected unopposed, says Paul's appointment is testimony to his contribution as Te Puke ward councillor for 17 years and as previous chairman of the Hearings and Consents, Operations and Regulatory and Policy and Planning committees.

Paul was previously a Te Puke deputy mayor before the 1989 local body amalgamation.

Since then he's been a Western Bay of Plenty District Councillor, except for the 1992-1995 term.

Paul's expertise in the area of infrastructure development has added significant value to the council, says Ross.

The most difficult task facing the new council is balancing council's $322 million work programme over the next 10 years with the Western Bay community's ability to pay.

'Our communities all face tougher financial times and their ability to pay for infrastructure and amenities is limited,” says Ross.

'I am very mindful of this, and it will be council's priority over the next three years to sustain our policy of constrained spending.”

Standard and Poor's have just given the WBOPDC an A+/A1 financial rating, which should assure ratepayers, says Ross.

'In giving us this rating, Standard and Poor's say the council's positive rating and stable financial outlook reflect a strong management culture of fiscal discipline.

'Despite the recession continuing to grind on, economic indicators are pointing to an improvement in the economy next year and then building upwards.

'We must remain optimistic and be in a position to take advantage of opportunities that this recovery will bring.”

SmartGrowth will continue to serve as the council's growth management platform, says Ross. In the past six years the collaborative strategy has successfully guided the sub-region's growth and has been a huge influence in gaining government support and funding for major infrastructure such as the Tauranga Eastern Link and the new harbour bridge, says Ross.

The WBOPDC will continue working with its partners such as Tauranga City Council, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, tangata whenua, central government, Priority One and the many non-government agencies that work so hard to make this district and region stand above the crowd, says Ross.

Chairpersons and a deputy for each of the district's five community boards were elected.

They are: Waihi Beach; chairman Murray Craig, deputy Kathy Mason, Peter Hassell and Derek Mills.

Katikati: Chairman Bruce Duske, deputy Brendan Gibbs, Sam Dunlop and George Van Dyke.

Te Puke: Chair, Karyl Gunn, deputy Peter Miller, Wayne Bain and Grant Dally.

By elections are required at Omokoroa because community board member Garry Webber was elected to council on October 9, creating a vacancy as he cannot be both.

At Maketu there were not enough candidates for the community board when nominations closed on August 20, so there is also a by-election there.

Omokoroa: Chairman Glenn Whittaker, deputy, Don Cameron, Carol Dodd.

Maketu: Chair, Carol Poihipi, deputy Stephan Simpson.

The by-elections are on Friday 11 February. Nominations open Thursday, 25 November 2010. Nominations close Thursday, 23 December 2010, with voting packs delivered Thursday, 20 January 2011. Voting closes at noon Friday, 11 February 2011.