Mayor of Upper Hutt

The mayor is the leader of the council. Their job is to promote a vision for the city and lead the development of the council’s plans, policies and budget. The mayor appoints the deputy mayor, establishes committees for particular topics, and appoints chairs for those committees. This is a first past the post (FPP) election, so you vote by ticking the name of your preferred candidate on your ballot paper. Compare the candidates and their policies to decide who to vote for in the Upper Hutt City Council mayoral election.

Hellen Swales

Independent

| Deputy Mayor of Upper Hutt

Hellen Swales

Independent

| Deputy Mayor of Upper Hutt

Why I'm standing

Breaking barriers and building our future will be my mantra when representing our city. With many reforms on the horizon, like Three Waters, a new Resource Management Act, climate change, the reimagining of local government, and potentially a Wellington supercity again, there are challenges and great opportunities ahead for us. Looking ahead, we need strong governance to lead our city and better engagement with our communities, and start breaking barriers and building our future together.

About me

Twelve years on council, three years as deputy mayor, and chairing roles with both non-profit and government committees has allowed me to develop my strategic thinking and quality of my decision-making. As mayor, I will use these experiences to build productive, collaborative, and supportive relationships with our elected councillors and communities, that can plan early, take decisive action, navigate through the upcoming government reforms, and start building our future together.

My priorities
  1. Investing in the infrastructure and facilities for our projected population growth of 24,000 by 2050.
  2. Develop and implement an integrated transport strategy to safely connect our communities.
  3. Incorporating a climate change lens over all our policies and decision-making.
Current role

Deputy Mayor of Upper Hutt

Before politics

Main Street Coordinator

Residence

Silverstream

Age

65

Connect via
Why I'm standing

Breaking barriers and building our future will be my mantra when representing our city. With many reforms on the horizon, like Three Waters, a new Resource Management Act, climate change, the reimagining of local government, and potentially a Wellington supercity again, there are challenges and great opportunities ahead for us. Looking ahead, we need strong governance to lead our city and better engagement with our communities, and start breaking barriers and building our future together.

About me

Twelve years on council, three years as deputy mayor, and chairing roles with both non-profit and government committees has allowed me to develop my strategic thinking and quality of my decision-making. As mayor, I will use these experiences to build productive, collaborative, and supportive relationships with our elected councillors and communities, that can plan early, take decisive action, navigate through the upcoming government reforms, and start building our future together.

My priorities
  1. Investing in the infrastructure and facilities for our projected population growth of 24,000 by 2050.
  2. Develop and implement an integrated transport strategy to safely connect our communities.
  3. Incorporating a climate change lens over all our policies and decision-making.
Current role

Deputy Mayor of Upper Hutt

Before politics

Main Street Coordinator

Residence

Silverstream

Age

65

Connect via