The mayor of Manawatu officiates over the Manawatū District Council in New Zealand.
Michael Ford is the current mayor of Manawatu. He was elected in 2025.
History The Manawatū District was formed through the amalgamation of the former Feilding Borough, Kiwitea County, Manawatu District, Oroua County and Pohangina County Councils in the 1989 local government reforms. The first mayor was Caryll Clausen, who had previously been on the Feilding Borough Council. Clausen was re-elected in the 1992 local elections and retired for the 1995 elections. In the 1995 Birthday Honours, she was awarded an MBE for services to local body and community affairs. (Clausen died on 19 March 2024.)
Rob Moodie, a former policeman, lawyer, and goat farmer, succeeded Clausen in the 1995 local elections; he narrowly beat Audrey Severinsen, who became deputy mayor. Moodie served for one term and was defeated by Severinsen in the 1998 local elections. Severinsen resigned in 2002 due to ill health and died in February 2003.
Ian McKelvie succeeded Severinsen in a by-election in November 2002. After being elected to Parliament in the , he resigned from the mayoralty on 15 December 2011. Deputy Mayor Matt Bell was then acting mayor until a by-election held on 7 March 2012. The by-election was narrowly won by Margaret Kouvelis from Feilding, who beat councillor Steven Gibson by just 14 votes (3293 votes to 3279). Worboys won the 2016 election. She was re-elected in 2019. Michael Ford was elected unopposed in 2025.
List of mayors The following list shows the seven mayors of Manawatu:
Name Portrait Term 1 Caryll Clausen 1989–1995 2 Rob Moodie 1995–1998 3 Audrey Severinsen 1998–2002 – Mervyn J. Craw (acting) 2002 4 Ian McKelvie 2002–2011 – Matt J. Bell (acting) 2011–2012 5 Margaret Kouvelis 2012–2016 6 Helen Worboys 2016–2025 7Michael Ford 2025–present
List of deputy mayors
+NameTermMayorAudrey Severinsen1995–1998MoodieUnknown1998–2002SeverinsenCraw (acting)Melvyn Craw2002–2005McKelvieJohn Gregory2005–Matt Bell–2011Position vacant (December 2011–March 2012)Bell (acting)Matt Bell2012–2013KouvelisTony Jensen2013–2016Michael Ford2016–2025WorboysGrant Hadfield 2025–presentFord
See also Mayor of Palmerston North Mayor of Rangitikei
Footnotes
References