Peter Revell gets a big tick in Thames Coromandel

Friday, 17 October 2025

Peter Revell will be the new mayor of the Thames Coromandel District.

Peter Revell says the fact he’s one of seven newly-elected mayors in the Waikato region speaks volumes about how much its citizens were keen for a change in leadership.

And, according to Revell, change is what he hopes to deliver in his first term as mayor of the Thames-Coromandel District.

Revell joins Tim Macindoe in Hamilton, Rodney Dow in Ōtorohanga, John Funnell in Taupō, Ash Tanner in Matamata Piako, Aksel Bech in Waikato, and Mike Pettit in Waipā as new mayors across the region.

Thames Coromandel’s new deputy mayor, John Grant.

He said getting rates under control and improving community engagement will be top priorities for the incoming council.

Revell and his council will serve around 32,500 people living in Thames, Whitianga, Whangamatā, Coromandel, Tairua, Pauanui and Mercury Bay.

He said reducing the burden of rates was an urgent issue, not only for Thames Coromandel, but across the country.

Revell said decisions to address rates rises would be among the council’s first tasks once formed, and while he declined to give any specifics before discussions were held with councillors, he said the current trajectory of increases were not sustainable.

Asked why he declined to sign the Taxpayers’ Union pledge to keep rates within inflation, Revell said its wording was problematic.

Peter Revell at a Thames Coromandel District Council meeting earlier this year. To his left is councillor Rekha Giri-Percival, who missed out on re-election this term.

“For me, a pledge is absolutely non-negotiable,” he said.

“I live in the Coromandel Peninsula. We know what happened in Cyclone Gabriel back in 2023 … and if you end up with a dry summer here and the Coromandel Forest Park catches on fire … we are a district that is vulnerable to natural disasters … and a pledge could tie our hands.”

Revell paid tribute to outgoing one-term mayor Len Salt for his determination and hard work after two significant storms, including Cyclone Gabrielle, that caused significant damage to the region in early 2023.

He also confirmed Mercury Bay Ward councillor John Grant will serve as deputy mayor.

“John and I were both first-time councillors last term,” Revell said. “He’s got a fantastic brain, a phenomenal work ethic, and knows how to get stuff done.”

Revell said the appointment ensured representation from both the east and west sides of the district, which he said enabled “fair community representation”.

In his first term, Grant served on the council’s Risk and Assurance Committee, Civil Defence Emergency Management Group, Local Water Done Well working group, and the Chief Executive Review Committee.

Revell retired from corporate life in 2019 and campaigned on his combined experience in local government and commercial leadership, contrasting his background with that of former mayor Len Salt.

“No other candidate had served at both community board and councillor level,” he said.

“Len moved straight into a mayoral role three years ago without a background in local government or leadership.”

But Revell also paid tribute to his predecessor saying Salt worked tirelessly, particularly in response to Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023.

“You don’t expect to become the mayor and then four months later suddenly find that half your district is cut off from the other half,” he said.

“Len was absolutely dogged in that whole time, helping to get things re-established. I take my hat off to him.”

Revell said the council would continue to explore a shared water services model with Tauranga City and Western Bay of Plenty District councils, following a resolution passed by the previous council.

“That was a clear decision based on a robust analytical process,” he said.

“I don’t think anything has changed regarding the analysis or economic potential of that route.”

Preliminary voter numbers saw Revell with 3669 votes, and his closest rivals Patrick Kerr and incumbent Len Salt on 3069 and 2993 votes respectively.

The new council will be made up of Coromandel-Colville Ward councillor Robert Ashman, Mercury Bay Ward councillors Flemming Rasmussen, Tony Brljevich and John Grant, South-Eastern Ward councillors John Freer and Alison Smith, Te Tara o Te Ika Māori Ward councillor Michael Barlow, and Thames Ward councillors Greg Hampton, Martin Rodley, and Robyn Sinclair.

Incumbents Deli Connell and Rekha Giri-Percival missed out on re-election.

In its Māori Ward referendum locals voted to remove the ward at the next election by 6896 votes to 4771.