Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry, Deputy Mayor Tui Lewis and councillors were officially sworn into office at council’s inaugural meeting yesterday.

The inaugural council meeting marks the start of the new triennium and is an official occasion where Lower Hutt’s elected councillors read and sign their declarations of office in front of friends and family.

Mayor Campbell Barry says it is the privilege of his life to continue serving as the Mayor of Lower Hutt, and tonight’s meeting reinforces the significance of this duty.

"I’m proud of what we achieved during the previous term and I believe we are now in a good position to make the most of record government investment we’ve managed to secure, and the start of transformational projects like RiverLink.

"Although there are some big challenges ahead of us like climate change and government reform, I’m confident we have a team that is ready to tackle these challenges head on."

Mayor Barry was proud to see all re-elected councillors and freshly elected councillors read and sign their own declarations office.

"Our entire council team is focused on making sure our city is one in which all our people thrive. In the three years ahead, we will be making sure we tap into the skills and experience of the whole team to get the best results for our community.

"I’m particularly proud of just how diverse and progressive the incoming council is. We have more Māori represented than ever, our first Tongan councillor, and strong voices from across our city. This ensures our city can see themselves reflected at the council table."

The inaugural council is a largely ceremonial event, with Council’s first substantive meeting to be held on 22 November.

Notes to editors:

Hutt City Councillors for the 2022-2025 triennium:

-Glenda Barrett - Central Ward

-Josh Briggs - City Wide

-Keri Brown - Wainuiomata Ward

-Brady Dyer - City Wide

-Simon Edwards - City Wide

-Tui Lewis - Deputy Mayor, Harbour Ward

-Andy Michell - Eastern Ward

-Karen Morgan - City Wide

-Chris Parkin - Western Ward

-Naomi Shaw - Northern Ward

-Tony Stallinger - City Wide

-Gabriel Tupou - City Wide

© Scoop Media