Days after the local body election, Mayor Nobby Clark and city councillors were sworn in yesterday at a ceremony for family and friends at the Civic Theatre.
New councillors Ria Bond, Trish Boyle, Tom Campbell, Grant Dermody and Barry Stewart joined re-elected city representatives Allan Arnold, Alex Crackett, Peter Kett, Darren Ludlow and Nigel Skelt to take part in the event.
In his inaugural speech, Mayor Clark said he was really happy with the group of representatives and told them there would be plenty of challenging and exciting decisions ahead.
Especially because he believed the Government’s independent review of local government could see the Invercargill city, Gore and Southland District councils combined into one local body.
"I personally believe, others may disagree, the Government will force us to some degree of amalgamation within the next three years ... so the challenge for us — as a group of councillors — is we have probably got a three-year window to get a whole lot of good stuff done in the city," Mr Clark said.
It included a new museum, a southern lights walking track around the city, and a beautification of the inner city, he said.
He also wanted to engage with the youth of the region in an effort to ensure vibrancy in the city, promoting public meetings with people aged between 18 and 30 to understand what they want for the future of the city.
"They don’t tend to vote and they don’t tend to go to the meetings ... but we definitely want to hear from the young generation."
Chief executive Clare Hadley said this was the first time the council had staged the swearing in ceremony separately from the inaugural meeting for family and friends of elected members.
She believed the idea was successful and indicated it would continue in future terms.
Crs Lesley Soper and Ian Pottinger were unable to attend the ceremony and would be sworn in at the inaugural meeting on November 1.
