The Green Party’s Geordie Rogers is the new councillor in the Lambton-Pukehīnau ward, after winning the February by-election by just 45 votes, with a total of 4147 votes. Rogers was behind on election day by 621 but managed to win after special votes were counted. Independent candidate Karl Tiefenbacher received 4102 votes in the final tally, while Mt Victoria local Ellen Blake was third on 653. Rogers joins councillors Iona Pannett and Nicola Young representing the central city ward on the Wellington City Council at a crucial time, as the council considers some thorny issues, including including its attempts to rein in costs in the long-term plan.