Kaipara Mayor Neil Tiller will not be standing again in the October local body elections and his decision has already prompted Councillors Bill Guest and mayoral deputy, Richard Alspach to declare their intention to contest the council leadership in the local body elections in October.

“There is never a good time to finish as there is always unfinished business,” Mr Tiller said. “But I have had nine years in local body politics and with the last three as mayor, when our original plan was for six years serving local government.

“I am going back to the farm, which is now on the market and when it sells we plan to go travelling. We never did do the big Kiwi OE, and now is a good time.

Pending sale I shall be back working the property and knocking it into shape and improving overall management.

“I have had a good run and the support I have had from council has been fantastic. I am sure the elections are going to create a bit of interest and I am sure there won’t be a shortage of candidates for the mayoralty.”

Mr Alspach said: “My hat is definitely in the ring. I had no intention of standing for mayor until Neil said he was not. Neil has done a good job of leading the council and looked set for a second term.

“My reason for standing is that I get on with people and I am a solutions based politician and I always like to pursue outcomes rather than headlines. I hope that in the local body elections, people take the opportunity of exercising the privilege of voting.”