Invercargill Deputy Mayor Toni Biddle resigns from council

Invercargill Deputy Mayor Toni Biddle has announced that she has resigned from the council and will step down from the table later this month.

Biddle said his decision was not made lightly and it took him some time to reach an agreement.

“My time on the Council has been incredibly rewarding and, at times, challenging. In the last 12 months I have experienced difficulties within our Board and in my personal life, which has led to my decision to leave, ”he said.

“I would like to thank mana whenua, maata waka and the amazing people of our community for their support during my time as an elected member. I look forward to the many opportunities that I will be able to serve my community within Murihiku. ”

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Biddle’s resignation creates the need to select a new deputy mayor and will result in a by-election.

“I would like to thank the mayor for his adoration and the time I have spent with him during my time on Council.

“His praise has been a sincere gentleman who has shown me on many occasions his genuine love for the people and I wish him and current elected members all the best for the future,” he said.

Executive Director Clare Hadley said the Council would consider the position of deputy mayor at the October 27 Council meeting.

Meanwhile, the by-elections process must also begin in accordance with section 138A of the Local Elections Act.

“This means that our by-election process is likely to drag on until February next year,” Hadley said.

A preliminary schedule will see nominations requested in November and closing in December, and voting will be open between late January and mid-February.

“More information on the process and key dates will be provided in due course,” Hadley said.