Porirua names new deputy mayor after death of Kylie Wihapi

Porirua councillor Geoff Hayward has been appointed as the city’s new deputy mayor, succeeding Kylie Wihapi, who died on Saturday in an accident.

Mayor Anita Baker announced at today’s council meeting that, with the blessing of the Wihapi whānau, Hayward would take over Wihapi’s council duties, including deputy mayor, dog control hearings subcommittee member and the alternate member on regional committees for leadership, civil defence and Tiaki Wai.

Wihapi’s tangihanga is scheduled to start later today on Horouta Marae at Papakōwhai, before a civic service and funeral at Te Rauparaha Arena on Saturday at 9am.

“I know this feels like indecent haste; it certainly does to me,” said Baker, who added that the moves were necessary to continue the council’s representation on external bodies and its existing functions.

Hayward told Local Democracy Reporting that he was honoured to serve as deputy mayor and would be thinking about Wihapi a lot.

“I can only think of myself as a custodian because Kylie should be doing this job, and I’m sad that she’s not here to be able to do it.

“She was and remains not just a friend and colleague, but an inspiration to our city and the response from the community has been nothing but reflective of that.”