Former Rotorua councillor Peter Bentley dies

Former Rotorua Lakes councillor Peter Bentley has died.

Bentley, who served on the council from 2013 to 2022, died on September 19 after a long illness, an obituary published in the Rotorua Daily Post Weekend on Saturday said.

“Pain free at last. He was loved and will be much missed by his wife Maggie, his son Troy, and his grandchildren,” it said.

In accordance with Bentley’s wishes, a private farewell had been held.

The Bentley family thanked their GP Dr Robyn Parker and hospice staff for their care and understanding.

Rotorua Lakes Council acknowledged Bentley’s death in a Facebook post today.

During his time as a councillor, Bentley represented the council on the Kaituna catchment forum and Kaituna catchment control scheme, it said.

He also contributed to the council’s crime prevention fund for community projects, the safe and sustainable journeys implementation plan and the Rotorua access committee.

Bentley resigned in April 2022 during a public council meeting about the council’s Māori wards bill. He later described it as a “final act of frustration”.

Before entering local politics, Bentley was bashed and robbed when he and his wife were targeted in a 2004 home invasion.