Waipā District Council (abbr. WDC) is the territorial authority for the Waipā District of New Zealand. It serves as the district's local government alongside the Waikato Regional Council as the regional council. The current entity has existed since 1989, prior to which local government in the area was split between six local authorities.
The governing body of the council has 13 councillors and is chaired by the mayor of Waipā (currently Mike Pettit since October 2025). There also two community boards.
History 1989 reforms The council was established in 1989, through the merger of Waipa County Council, Cambridge Borough Council (established in 1886), and Te Awamutu Borough Council (established in 1915). Governing body Mayor
One mayor is elected at-large; they chair meetings of the governing body and act as the head of local government in the district. The current mayor is Mike Pettit, who was elected in the 2025 local elections.
Current composition The current members of the governing body of council are: + Waipā District Council, 2025–2028 Role Name AffiliationWardMayorMike Pettit IndependentElected at-largeDeputyJo Davies-Colley IndependentCambridgeCouncillor Roger Gordon IndependentCambridgeCouncillor Aidhean Camson IndependentCambridgeCouncillor Pip Kempthorne IndependentCambridgeCouncillor Mike Montgomerie IndependentMaungatautariCouncillor Clare St Pierre IndependentPirongia and KakepukuCouncillor Les Bennett Better WaipaPirongia and KakepukuCouncillor Shane Walsh IndependentTe Awamutu and KihikihiCouncillor Dean Taylor IndependentTe Awamutu and KihikihiCouncillor Marcus Gower IndependentTe Awamutu and KihikihiCouncillor Dale-Maree Morgan IndependentWaipā Māori
Community boards The Waipā District Council currently has two community boards: Cambridge Community Board: Charlotte FitzPatrick (Chair), Gerda Venter, Chris Minneé, Stewart Dromgool, Andrew Myers Te Awamutu and Kihikihi Community Board: Ange Holt (Chair), Liam Bullen, Jill Taylor, John Wood, Kane Titchener
Wards Councillors are elected from across five wards; One councillor is returned from the Waipā Māori ward, which covers the entire district, four from Cambridge general ward, three from Te Awamutu-Kihikihi general ward, two from Pirongia-Kakepuku general ward, and one from Maungatautari general ward.
The council established a Māori ward in 2021, with the first Māori ward councillor elected in the 2022 local elections.
Elections List Council
Mayoral
References