Horowhenua's mayor says he will not be entering his new workplace, believing it to be an earthquake risk.

Michael Feyen was voted into the top job on Saturday, ousting 12 year mayor Brendan Duffy - however he will not be entering the district council's Levin building because he says it is an earthquake risk.

The firm responsible for the design of the building has rejected that claim and said if Feyen has any proof they would like to see it.

Warwick Smith Horowhenua mayor Michael Feyen being congratulated on his victory.

Feyen was previously shut out of the building when his access card was revoked by the previous administration for his demands that an engineer's report be done.

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But now that he is mayor, Feyen has put an assessment of the building as his first job.

"We are not going into that building until we know something," he said.

Feyen said he had spoken with council chief executive David Clapperton and requested an independent structural engineer inspect the building.

Feyen said the chambers were designed by engineering firm Kevin O'Connor and Associates – the same firm that designed 13 buildings in Masterton that had structural weaknesses.

"There is enough [at the building] to warrant that it needs looking at."

That means he will not be going into the building to be sworn in, nor will the first meeting of the new council be held there.

Instead the swearing in is set to be held at the Te Takere museum and library facility.

The first council meeting will also likely be there. However, Te Takere was also a project of Kevin O'Connor and Associates.

Feyen said he was not aware of that, and would need to verify it himself.

"If that is the case that looks like we will have to be throwing that in the basket to be checked."

He was not aware of any problems at the library.

Clapperton said the structural integrity of the council building was being discussed. Architectural design of the building was undertaken by Design Group Stapleton Elliott, with the engineering design completed by Kevin O'Connor and Associates.

Kevin O'Connor said his firm was confident in the engineering work undertaken on both buildings.

It had no knowledge of any factor that would suggest there were issues with the engineering of either.

"If [Feyen] has any reliable factual evidence for questioning the engineering of either building we would like to see it.

"We also note that the design and construction of both buildings went through the local council design sign-off and consenting processes and they were found to be compliant."