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Mayor of Lower Hutt
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| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| post | Mayor |
| body | Lower Hutt |
| insignia | Lower Hutt coat of arms.png |
| insigniacaption | Coat of arms of Lower Hutt |
| image | Ken Laban (cropped).jpg |
| imagecaption | Mayor Ken Laban |
| incumbent | Ken Laban |
| incumbentsince | 2025 |
| inaugural | William Fitzherbert |
| style | His Worship |
| termlength | Three years, renewable |
| formation | 1891 |
| salary | $158,000 |
| website | Official website |
| deputy | Keri Brown |
| member_of | Hutt City Council |
The city of Lower Hutt, New Zealand, was first proclaimed a borough on 1 February 1891. Prior to this it had been part of Hutt County, initially as a Roads Board and from 1881 as a Town Board.
Since October 2025, the mayor has been Ken Laban.
History
The Hutt County Council was established in 1877, covering the region from Wellington's south coast up to Waikanae, excluding Wellington City. The county council was headed by a chairman rather than a mayor. As the region grew, urban parts of the Hutt County became autonomous boroughs with Lower Hutt becoming its own borough in 1891 with a borough council headed by a mayor to be directly elected by ratepayers. William Fitzherbert was elected unopposed with six borough councillors also being elected. From the 1920s on population grew quickly and in 1941 Lower Hutt became a city after reaching the required population of 20,000 for city status. As a result of the 1989 local government reforms Lower Hutt City amalgamated several of the neighbouring authorities including the Petone Borough Council, Eastbourne Borough Council and Hutt County Council (centred on Wainuiomata) as well as land on the waterfront formerly in the possession of the Wellington Harbour Board. The sitting mayor of Lower Hutt City was elected as mayor of the expanded Hutt City Council in 1989, however retaining the title mayor of Lower Hutt despite the "Lower" being dropped from the name of the council.
The longest-serving mayor was Percy Dowse who held office for twenty years, from 1950 to 1970.
List of mayors
Mayors of Lower Hutt have been:
;Key
| # | Name | Portrait | Term of office | Independent politician}};" | 1 | Independent politician}};" | 2 | Independent politician}};" | 3 | Independent politician}};" | 4 | Independent politician}};" | 5 | Independent politician}};" | 6 | Independent politician}};" | (3) | Independent politician}};" | 7 | Independent politician}};" | 8 | Independent politician}};" | 9 | Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}};" | 10 | Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}};" | (9) | Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}};" | 11 | Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}};" | 12 | Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}};" | 13 | New Zealand Labour Party}};" | 14 | Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}};" | 15 | Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}};" | 16 | Independent politician}};" | 17 | Independent politician}};" | 18 | Independent politician}};" | 19 | New Zealand Labour Party}};" | 20 | Independent politician}};" | 21 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Fitzherbert | [[File:William Alfred Fitzherbert.jpg | 75px]] | 1 February 1891 | 18 November 1898 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Walter George Foster | [[File:Walter George Foster.jpg | 75px]] | 18 November 1898 | 5 March 1900 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Edmund Percy Bunny | [[File:Edmund Percy Bunny.jpg | 75px]] | 5 March 1900 | 24 April 1901 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Orton Stevens | [[File:Orton Stevens.jpg | 75px]] | 24 April 1901 | 26 April 1905 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thomas William McDonald | [[File:Thomas William McDonald.jpg | 75px]] | 26 April 1905 | 1 May 1907 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thomas Peterkin | [[File:Thomas Peterkin.jpg | 75px]] | 1 May 1907 | 6 May 1909 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Edmund Percy Bunny | [[File:Edmund Percy Bunny.jpg | 75px]] | 6 May 1909 | 7 May 1914 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Henry Baldwin | [[File:Henry Baldwin.jpg | 75px]] | 7 May 1914 | 8 April 1918 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Percy Rishworth | [[File:Percy Rishworth.jpg | 75px]] | 27 April 1918 | 21 December 1921 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Will Strand | [[File:William Thomas Strand.jpg | 75px]] | 21 December 1921 | 16 May 1929 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alex Roberts | [[File:Alexander Fowler Roberts.jpg | 75px]] | 16 May 1929 | 13 May 1931 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Will Strand | [[File:William Thomas Strand.jpg | 75px]] | 13 May 1931 | 10 May 1933 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jack Andrews | [[File:John William Andrews.jpg | 75px]] | 10 May 1933 | 9 June 1947 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ernst Hay | [[File:Ernst Peterson Hay.jpg | 75px]] | 9 June 1947 | 20 January 1949 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| William Gregory | [[File:William Gregory (crop).jpg | 75px]] | 14 March 1949 | 18 November 1950 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Percy Dowse | [[File:Percy Dowse cropped.jpg | 75px]] | 18 November 1950 | 9 December 1970 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| John Kennedy-Good | [[File:John Kennedy-Good.jpg | 75px]] | 21 December 1970 | 24 October 1986 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Glen Evans | [[File:No image.png | 75px]] | 24 October 1986 | 31 October 1995 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| John Terris | [[File:John Terris.jpg | 88x88px]] | 31 October 1995 | 10 October 2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| David Ogden | [[File:David Ogden (cropped).jpg | 75px]] | 10 October 2004 | 9 October 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ray Wallace | [[File:Ray Wallace.jpg | 75px]] | 9 October 2010 | 12 October 2019 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Campbell Barry | [[File:Campbell Barry, January 2025.jpg | 75px]] | 12 October 2019 | 17 October 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ken Laban | [[File:Ken Laban (cropped).jpg | center | 100x100px]] | 17 October 2025 | present |
List of deputy mayors
;Key
| Name | Term of office | Mayor | Independent politician}}" | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent politician}}" | William Henry Russell | 1908 | 1909 | ||
| Vacant | |||||
| Independent politician}}" | Henry Baldwin | 1910 | 1911 | ||
| Vacant | |||||
| Independent politician}}" | John Brassell | Independent politician}}" | |||
| Vacant | |||||
| Archibald John Hobbs | 1925 | 1931 | Independent politician}}" | ||
| Independent politician}}" | Roberts | ||||
| Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}}" | John Mitchell | 1931 | 1944 | ||
| Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}}" | Ernst Hay | 1944 | 1947 | ||
| Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}}" | William Gregory | 1947 | 1949 | ||
| Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}}" | Eric Rothwell | 1949 | 1950 | ||
| New Zealand Labour Party}}" | Harry Horlor | 1950 | 1956 | ||
| New Zealand Labour Party}}" | James McDonald | 1956 | 1959 | ||
| Independent politician}}" | George Barker | 1959 | 1962 | ||
| New Zealand Labour Party}}" | Chen Werry | 1962 | 1968 | ||
| Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}}" | Dave Hadley | 1968 | 1971 | ||
| Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}}" | Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}}" | Kennedy-Good | |||
| New Zealand Labour Party}}" | John Seddon | 1971 | 1974 | ||
| Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}}" | Chen Werry | 1974 | 1977 | ||
| New Zealand Labour Party}}" | Ernie Barry | 1977 | 1980 | ||
| Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}}" | Mollie Ngan Kee | 1980 | 1983 | ||
| Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}}" | Teri Puketapu | 1983 | 1989 | ||
| Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}}" | Lower Hutt Citizens' Association}}" | Evans | |||
| Independent politician}}" | Betty van Gaalen | 1989 | 1995 | ||
| Independent politician}}" | Joan Monrad | 1995 | 1998 | ||
| Independent politician}}" | Pat Brosnan | 1998 | 2001 | ||
| Independent politician}}" | Ray Wallace | 2001 | 2004 | ||
| Independent politician}}" | Roger Styles | 2004 | 2010 | ||
| Independent politician}}" | David Bassett | 2010 | 2019 | ||
| Independent politician}}" | Tui Lewis | 2019 | 2025 | ||
| New Zealand Labour Party}}" | Keri Brown | 2025 | present |
Notes
References
References
- Fuller, Piers. (10 November 2019). "Are our mayors earning their pay rises?". [[Stuff.co.nz]].
- (22 October 2025). "Keri Brown appointed Deputy Mayor of Lower Hutt". Hutt City Council.
- Afemata, Mary. (2025-10-12). "Ken Laban makes history as Pasifika candidates win across Aotearoa".
- (16 October 1989). "Lower Hutt embraces Evans-led team". [[The Evening Post (New Zealand).
- (9 December 1970). "Mr Percy Dowse, Lower Hutt's Mayor for 20 Years, Dies in Hospital at 72". [[The Evening Post (New Zealand).
This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.
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