Mayor of Stratford, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mayor of Stratford |
|
|---|---|
.jpg) Neil Volzke since 2009 |
|
| Style | His/Her Worship |
| Term length | Three years, renewable |
| Deputy | Min McKay |
| Salary | $105,503 |
| Website | Official website: https://www.stratford.govt.nz/our-council/mayor-and-elected-members |
The Mayor of Stratford is the main leader of the Stratford District Council. This person helps make important decisions for the Stratford area. People in Stratford vote directly for their mayor. The person who gets the most votes wins, even if they don't get more than half of all votes. This is called the "first-past-the-post" system.
As of 2025, the current mayor is Neil Volzke. He first became mayor in 2009. This happened in a special election after the previous mayor, John Edwards, passed away.
How Stratford's Mayor Role Began
The idea of having a local council in Stratford started a long time ago. The first group to manage the town was the Stratford Town Board, created in 1882. Later, in 1890, the Stratford County Council was formed to look after the wider area.
Then, on July 22, 1898, the Stratford Borough Council was created for the town itself. These two councils, the county and the borough, joined together on April 1, 1989. They formed the Stratford District Council. This change was part of a big update to local governments across New Zealand that year.
Who Has Been Mayor of Stratford?
Stratford has had many mayors over the years. Since the first one, there have been 24 different people who have held this important role. Here is a list of all the mayors and when they served:
| Name | Term | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Newsham Curtis | 1882–1885 |
| 2 | Charles Curtis | 1885–1890 |
| 3 | Ebenezer Burgess | 1890–1892 |
| 4 | William Loftus Tocker | 1892–1894 |
| 5 | J. B. Patton | 1894–1896 |
| (3) | Ebenezer Burgess | 1896–1898 |
| 6 | Harry Norman Liardet | 1898–1899 |
| 7 | Frederick Jeffray Steuart | 1900–1901 |
| 8 | Reginald Brooking Tatton | 1901–1902 |
| (6) | Harry Norman Liardet | 1902–1903 |
| 9 | Nathaniel John King | 1903–1907 |
| 10 | Pilcher Frederick Ralfe | 1907–1908 |
| 11 | George A. Sangster | 1908–1910 |
| 12 | Jonas Masters | 1910–1912 |
| 13 | William Patrick Kirkwood | 1912–1915 |
| 14 | Josephiah Wedgwood Boon | 1915–1917 |
| 15 | James Watson McMillan | 1917–1929 |
| 16 | Percy Thomson | 1929–1933 |
| (15) | James Watson McMillan | 1933–1938 |
| (16) | Percy Thomson | 1938–1947 |
| 17 | Norman Harold Moss | 1947–1957 |
| 18 | George Boon | 1957–1971 |
| 19 | Leo Carrington | 1971–1986 |
| 20 | Lachlan Grant Bond | 1986–1989 |
| 21 | David Walter | 1989–1998 |
| 22 | Brian Jeffares | 1998–2007 |
| 23 | John Edwards | 2007–2009 |
| 24 | Neil Volzke | 2009–present |
Deputy Mayors of Stratford
The deputy mayor helps the mayor and steps in when the mayor is not available. Here are the people who have served as deputy mayor:
| Name | Term | Mayor |
|---|---|---|
| John Edwards | 1998–2007 | Jeffares |
| Neil Volzke | 2007–2009 | Edwards |
| Roger Hignett | 2009–2013 | Volzke |
| Alan Jamieson | 2013–2022 | |
| Min McKay | 2022–present |
