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Very Reverend Peter Beck - Source: ONE News -
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Preliminary results show the former Dean of ChristChurch Cathedral has won a seat on the city's council.
Voting in the Burwood-Pegasus by-election closed at noon and with all but 19 votes counted Peter Beck has a 2000 vote lead over his nearest rival.
According to the preliminary result, 13,935 votes were received in total - 4,804 votes were received for Peter Beck and 2,821 for David East.
Stan Tawa secured 1,674 votes, and there were 1,492 for Rod Cameron; 1,473 for Linda Stewart; 660 for Steve Burke; 464 for Rik Tindall; 444 for Bob Tomkins and 57 for Raymond Ellwood.
Beck stood down from his position at the cathedral at the end of last year to chase a seat on the council.
He said that after the earthquakes he wanted to play a greater role in rebuilding the city and the best way he can represent many communities, including the church, was to become a councillor.
In the run up to the election Beck had made a stand over the council CEO Tony Marryatt's 14.4% payrise, an issue which saw a mass rally in Christchurch last week.
"Anyone receiving a 14.4% increase on the sort of salary they're already getting in the city as it is at the moment, it's not a good look," he said.
"At a time when things are so rough for people in so many parts of the city, especially here in the eastern suburbs, I think the leaders of our community and our city need to say 'hang on let's show some restraint'."
The by-election was called after the withdrawal of councillor Chrissie Williams due to ill health.
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