Mark Bell-Booth

Mark Bell-Booth
26th Mayor of Palmerston North
In office 2001–2004
Preceded by	Jill White
Succeeded by	Heather Tanguay

Mark Rex Bell-Booth was Mayor of Palmerston North from 2001 to 2004 for one term.^[1]

Prior to becoming mayor, Bell-Booth was a Palmerston North City Councillor from 1991 to 2001. He became known through his "Save the Avenue" campaign.^[2] Bell-Booth is best known for the redevelopment of The Square, which happened during his mayoral reign.^[3] In the 2004 local elections, he lost the mayoralty against Heather Tanguay.^[4] He made headlines when it became known that he lent his wife's car to a known gang member. His reign at the council was described by a political commentator as being more akin to that of a chief executive than a mayor.^[5] He contested the Palmerston North mayoralty again in the 2010 local elections and came a distant second against incumbent Jono Naylor, with 2229 against 16717 votes.^[6][7]

From 2004 to 2008, Bell-Booth was chief executive of Assetta, a software development company. Since then, he has been a director of Unlimited Realities, a designer of touchscreen software applications.^[4]

References

1. ^ "2000s". Palmerston North City Council. http://www.pncc.govt.nz/About/History/Detail.aspx?id=2054. Retrieved 14 October 2011. 
2. ^ "Mark Bell-Booth". Palmerston North City Library. http://digitallibrary.palmerstonnorth.com/awweb/awarchive?item=1504&type=meta. Retrieved 14 October 2011. 
3. ^ Miller, Grant (11 September 2010). "Bell-Booth intent on leaving his mark". Manawatu Standard. http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/4119517/Bell-Booth-intent-on-leaving-his-mark. Retrieved 13 October 2011. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Bell-Booth throws his hat in for mayor". Manawatu Standard. 15 May 2011. http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/3696992/Bell-Booth-throws-his-hat-in-for-mayor. Retrieved 13 October 2011. 
5. ^ Matthews, Lee (15 May 2010). "Editorial: Old mayors have eyes on the prize". Manawatu Standard. http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/opinion/3702184/Editorial-Old-mayors-have-eyes-on-the-prize. Retrieved 14 October 2011. 
6. ^ "Mark Bell-Booth". Elections 2010. http://www.elections2010.co.nz/2010/candidates/mark-bell-booth. Retrieved 13 October 2011. 
7. ^ Nichols, Lane (21 August 2011). "High-profile clashes in battle for mayoralties". The Dominion Post. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4046057/High-profile-clashes-in-battle-for-mayoralties. Retrieved 13 October 2011. 

Political offices
Preceded by Jill White	Mayor of Palmerston North 2001–2004	Succeeded by Heather Tanguay