Mayor keeps mum on deputy choice

Mayor Janie Annear isn't giving anything away when it comes to revealing who she favours as her new deputy mayor.

The issue of the new deputy mayor and how he or she will be elected was on the agenda for this afternoon's Timaru District Council meeting.

The position became vacant last month following the sudden death of Geraldine ward councillor and deputy mayor Michael Oliver.

In a report to the meeting, chief executive Peter Nixon spells out the recommended process for filling the vacancy. This sees the mayor identifying an appropriate candidate, then calling for nominations for any other candidates.

The council must then decide whether to use the traditional first past the post voting system or opt for preferential voting, which could require several rounds of voting with the candidate polling the least votes excluded from the subsequent round.

When asked yesterday who she would be recommending for deputy mayor, Mrs Annear would not comment before the meeting.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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