The Mayor of Whangārei is the directly elected head of the Whangarei District Council, the local government authority for the Whangarei District in New Zealand, which it controls as a territorial authority.

[4] The mayor has significant executive powers, their own staff and the ability to appoint the chairpersons of the council's committees.

[2][7][8][9][10][11][12] The deputy mayor is the second highest elected official in the Whangarei District Council.

However, like the position of Deputy Prime Minister, this seniority does not necessarily translate into power.

Innes was announced as deputy mayor in October 2019, and assumed office upon the swearing in of the new council.