Mayor of Manawatu

Mayor of Manawatu
Incumbent
Michael Ford[1]
since 2025
StyleHis/Her Worship
Term lengthThree years, renewable
Formation1989
Salary$132,068[2]
WebsiteOfficial website

The mayor of Manawatu officiates over the Manawatū District Council.

Michael Ford is the current mayor of Manawatu. He was elected in 2025.[1]

History

The Manawatū District was formed through the amalgamation of the former Feilding Borough, Kiwitea County, Manawatu District, Oroua County and Pohangina County Councils in the 1989 local government reforms. The first mayor was Caryll Clausen, who had previously been on the Feilding Borough Council. Clausen was re-elected in the 1992 local elections and retired for the 1995 elections.[3] In the 1995 Birthday Honours, she was awarded an MBE for services to local body and community affairs.[4] (Clausen died on 19 March 2024.)

Rob Moodie, a former policeman, lawyer, and goat farmer, succeeded Clausen in the 1995 local elections; he narrowly beat Audrey Severinsen, who became deputy mayor.[5] Moodie served for one term and was defeated by Severinsen in the 1998 local elections. Severinsen resigned in 2002 due to ill health and died in February 2003.[3][5]

Ian McKelvie succeeded Severinsen in a by-election in November 2002. After being elected to Parliament in the 2011 election, he resigned from the mayoralty on 15 December 2011.[6][7] Deputy Mayor Matt Bell was then acting mayor until a by-election held on 7 March 2012.[7] The by-election was narrowly won by Margaret Kouvelis from Feilding, who beat councillor Steven Gibson by just 14 votes (3293 votes to 3279).[8] Worboys won the 2016 election. She was re-elected in 2019. Michael Ford was elected unopposed in 2025.[1]

List of mayors

The following list shows the seven mayors of Manawatu:[3]

Name Portrait Term
1 Caryll Clausen 1989–1995
2 Rob Moodie 1995–1998
3 Audrey Severinsen 1998–2002
– Mervyn J. Craw (acting) 2002
4 Ian McKelvie 2002–2011
– Matt J. Bell (acting) 2011–2012
5 Margaret Kouvelis 2012–2016
6 Helen Worboys 2016–2025
7 Michael Ford[1] 2025–present

List of deputy mayors

Name Term Mayor
Audrey Severinsen 1995–1998[5] Moodie
Unknown 1998–2002 Severinsen
Craw (acting)
Melvyn Craw 2002–?[9] McKelvie
Unknown c. 2002–c. 2009
Matt Bell c. 2009–2011[10]
Position vacant (December 2011–March 2012)[a][7] Bell (acting)
Matt Bell 2012–2013[11] Kouvelis
Tony Jensen 2013–2016[12][13]
Michael Ford 2016–2025[14] Worboys
Grant Hadfield 2025–present[15] Ford

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ The deputy mayor, Matt Bell, became acting mayor upon mayor Ian McKelvie's resignation as mayor, leaving the deputy mayor office vacant.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result" (PDF). Electionz. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  2. ^ Edmunds, Susan (13 June 2024). "How much your local council gets paid". RNZ. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Manawatu District Council - Roll of Members" (PDF). Manawatū District Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  4. ^ "Queen's Birthday Honours List 1995". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Archived from the original on 14 January 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  5. ^ a b c "Obituary: Audrey Severinsen". The New Zealand Herald. 22 February 2003. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  6. ^ "National Selects Ian Mckelvie As Rangitikei Candidate" (Press release). Voxy.co.nz. 30 May 2011. Archived from the original on 15 October 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  7. ^ a b c "Mayor's busy final week" (Press release). Manawatū District Council. 14 December 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  8. ^ Crosbie, Sandra (15 March 2012). "Mayor Kouvelis takes the reins". Manawatu Standard. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  9. ^ Kilmister, Sam (26 April 2019). "Former Manawatu District councillor Mervyn Craw dies at age 82". Stuff. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  10. ^ Bell, Matt (3 April 2009). "Evidence of Matt Bell" (PDF). Horizons Regional Council. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  11. ^ "Manawatu District Council Annual Report 2012/2013" (PDF). Manawatū District Council. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  12. ^ "Manawatu District Council Annual Report For the period ending 30 June 2014" (PDF). Manawatū District Council. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  13. ^ Stein, Paul (29 October 2018). "Manawatū District Council Annual Report For the year ended 30 June 2018" (PDF). Manawatū District Council. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  14. ^ "Michael Ford". Manawatū District Council. 29 August 2025. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  15. ^ Dallas, Matthew (29 October 2025). "New Manawatū District mayor sworn in, selects deputy". The Post. Manawatū Standard. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
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