The first mayor was Caryll Clausen, who had previously been on the Feilding Borough Council.
[5] In the 1995 Birthday Honours, she was awarded an MBE for services to local body and community affairs.
Rob Moodie, a former policeman, lawyer, and goat farmer, succeeded Clausen in the 1995 local elections; he narrowly beat Audrey Severinsen, who became deputy mayor.
Severinsen resigned in 2002 due to ill health and died in February 2003.
[10] Worboys won the 2016 election and is the current mayor of Manawatū District.