Statement from Mayor Kerry Prendergast

It has been a fantastic honour to be Mayor of Wellington for the past nine years. It has been the best job in the world, and I will miss it.

Congratulations to Celia Wade-Brown and to the Councillors elected. They have an enormously important task ahead of them as they seek to guide Wellington through some potentially very difficult times.

It goes without saying that I am tremendously disappointed at the outcome of the election. But I congratulate Celia and sincerely wish her all the very best for the huge job she now faces.

After working 12-hour days for nine years, it will be a huge change for me and it will take me some time to get used to it.

I would like to pay tribute to the councillors and staff I have worked with since joining Wellington City Council in 1989, and particularly since I became Mayor in 2001. There have been disagreements and differing views, but together we have made many bold and innovative decisions that have helped transform this city from the grey bureaucratic town it was into the diverse and exciting place we know today.

I would like to thank the many people in other organisations, businesses and in the community at large for their support, their hard work and enthusiasm in making Wellington such a fantastic place to live and visit.

I would like to thank my family, who have had to share me with the city of Wellington for a long time. If there is any consolation to be had, it is in the fact that I can now spend more time being a wife, mother and grandmother.

I would like to thank my campaign team and all those who have shown faith in me over the years by giving me their votes. I have done my very best for Wellington and I believe the city is in great shape and can face the challenges of the future with confidence.

I would also like to thank my office staff, who have worked tirelessly alongside me to make my life run as smoothly as possible.

I am not sure what my future will hold but I will take a few days to reflect and consider where to from here.

ENDS

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