The Battle For Kaiapoi-Woodend Council Seats

Tuesday, 9 September 2025, 4:54 pm
Article: David Hill - Local Democracy Reporter

The election campaign is expected to heat up in Waimakariri’s Kaiapoi-Woodend ward, with a candidate event this Wednesday. 

Ten candidates are vying for four seats at the Waimakariri District Council table, with just two councillors, Brent Cairns and Philip Redmond, seeking re-election. 

Deputy Mayor Neville Atkinson and long serving councillor Al Blackie are retiring at the October 11 election. 

Mr Redmond, a retired lawyer, has served two terms as a Waimakariri district councillor and previously served on the Kaiapoi Borough Council in the 1980s. 

Mr Cairns co-founded the Kaiapoi Food Forest and was first elected to council in 2022. 

They are being challenged by Nathan Atkins, Tim Bartle, Henrietta Carroll, Matt James, Natalie Leary, Shona Powell, Sandra Stewart and Prudence Stone. 

Ms Stewart is a former councillor and is a member of the Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi Community Board, while Mr Bartle is also a member of the community board. Ms Powell is the chairperson of the Woodend-Sefton Community Board. 

Former mayoral candidate, Ms Leary stood unsuccessfully for the council in 2022. 

First time candidates Mr Atkins is standing as an Act Local candidate, while Mr James is the Pegasus Residents Group Inc chairperson. 

Ms Carroll and Ms Stone are also both first time candidates. Seven candidates are vying for five positions on the Woodend-Sefton Community Board, including sitting members Mark Paterson, Shona Powell and Andrew Thompson. 

Joel McLachlan stood unsuccessful for the council in 2022, while Matthew Potter stood for the community board three years ago. 

Yu Bai and Prudence Stone are first time candidates. 

The Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi Community Board has seven candidates standing for five positions, including sitting members chairperson Jackie Watson, Tim Bartle, Russell Keetley and Sandra Stewart. 

They are being challenged by Abbie Campbell, Henrietta Carroll and Natalie Leary. The delivery of voting papers begins tomorrow. 

The Kaiapoi Promotions Association is hosting a meet the candidates meeting for Kaiapoi-Woodend ward council and Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi Community Board candidates. It will be held at the Kaiapoi Club in Raven Quay from 7pm on Wednesday, September 10. 

-LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

© Scoop Media

Local Democracy Reporting

Content from the Local Democracy Reporting (LDR) service is published by Scoop as a registered New Zealand Media Outlet LDR Partner.