Reform Ticket Fails To Make Dent On West Coast Regional Council

Monday, 13 October 2025, 8:05 pm
Article: Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter

October 11, 2025

The Reform ticket, headed by controversial councillor Allan Birchfield, has failed to make an impact on the West Coast Regional Council, based on progress results.

Mr Birchfield looks likely to be the only one of his five-strong ticket to gain a seat, gaining 1757 votes, with 85% of the vote counted. Topping the Buller progress results, with more than 2,700 votes, is Buller surveyor Chris Coll who was appointed to the council this year after the death of Buller representative Frank Dooley.

The second Buller representative on the council, Mark McIntyre, was also returned, polling second highest in the progress results.

The council’s deputy chair, Brett Cummings, appears to have lost his seat to Greymouth’s Colin Smith, a well-known retired lawyer. Progress results show veteran councillor Peter Ewen has been returned, along with Westland farmer Andy Campbell, and the Regional Council gains a second new member in Ashley Cassin, the former deputy mayor of Westland District Council.

Mr Birchfield, who has been at odds with the council since he was deposed as chair in 2023, campaigned on abolishing or shrinking the council, and setting aside the new $8 million West Coast District Plan. The final election results will be released by Thursday.

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

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