Whakatane District Mayor Tony Bonne is retiring from local government.

His time as mayor will come to a close at the conclusion of the current triennium, which will be marked by the Council's annual Over-80's Christmas Morning Tea.

Mayor Bonne says after serving the community for 18 years - 12 of those as Mayor - it was time for new blood to come through.

'It will give me more time to devote to Linda and my family, and provide an opportunity to take on a new challenge,” he says.

'I have enjoyed every minute representing our District and have enjoyed working with a group of talented and committed councilors, and the entire community, to make our District what it is today.

'Once you pause and look back, you come to realise that as a Council, we have achieved a great deal. To name but a few achievements, we have:

• Constructed the award-winning Whakatāne Library and Exhibition Centre - Te Kōputu a Te Whanga a Toi - and our new District Museum and Research Centre – Te Whare Taonga o Taketake

• Sold Council land to allow residential subdivisions to proceed, creating new urban living spaces and deepening our rates base

• Implemented a new District Plan

• Developed stronger and deeper Iwi relationships and partnerships

• Secured Air Chathams as our key air transport link after the departure of Air New Zealand

• Completed a number of key flood mitigation projects

• And lead the District through the recovery from the disastrous 2017 floods.

'I can assure you all that I will keep my foot firmly on the accelerator right through until the end of my Mayoralty, and there are a number of projects I would like to cement in before I go.

'These include having a firm direction in the Three Waters space; a commercial arm to invest and protect the community's assets for future generations; and firming up the reality of a lifestyle retirement village,” he says.

'Local government is an exciting place and I thank the community for the honour it has bestowed on me – because it has been a privilege to represent you all.”

He has confirmed he will enter the local real estate industry, following the conclusion of his term in office in October 2019.