A group is being formed to take part in this year’s local election in an effort to get a block of new councilors around the table at Invercargill City Council.
The group, of up to eight to 10 council candidates, is slated to stand with Nobby Clark, who has already announced he will run for mayor.
The desire is to get a group of largely new board members elected, Clark said.
He did not disclose who was in the group or who was supporting the campaign.
Clark, Invercargill’s current deputy mayor, initially stated he would not run in October’s election. He pointed to frustration over a lack of progress on certain issues, and he felt he had also become a “lonely voice” over the past quarter.
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However, Clark said he was approached by a group of “supporters” to stand for the mayor’s post as part of a ticket.
“We need a can-do attitude and I do not see it at the moment.”
A ticket is where a group of candidates, who have a similar desire for the city, campaign together. This is not something that has traditionally happened at Invercargill elections.
Clark did not want to disclose who was registered as the board candidates who were part of the ticket. This will be announced in the coming weeks.
Most will be new board candidates, although current board member Allan Arnold has confirmed that he was also part of the group, and he helped with recruitment.
It was simply a case of encouraging more people to stand for the council, Arnold said.
Clark was also unwilling to divulge who the ticket’s financial supporters were.
By law, election donations must be declared after the election. Clark did not feel obligated to disclose where the campaign money came from before the election.
He was adamant that those supporters would have no influence over the council if Clark, and the majority of the eight to 10 candidates on the card, were elected.
“I can confirm there are supporters, plural. Not one, ”Clark said.
“[But] the condition, when I brought my name to the fore, was that the fans would stay out of the picture and have no influence in the next three years.
“They just want a more proactive approach to management. I was clear that they would not be in this to buy influence, and that was not their intention. “
Co-mayoral candidate Ian Pottinger believed if there was corporate support for the ticket to be declared before the election, as a matter of transparency for voters.
Rebecca Amundsen, another mayoral candidate, also felt that where there are financial supporters of interest or significance to voters, they need to be revealed so that voters can make an informed decision.
Chief incumbent Sir Tim Shadbolt was not sure voters would be comfortable with a ticket.
“Invercargill voters have always preferred that candidates who could stand on their own be counted,” he said.
Clark, meanwhile, said the group was not looking for the required numbers to give a block vote. The Council consists of 12 councilors, two mana when any representatives, and the mayor.
Eight votes can get motions accepted.
However, Clark said those who were part of the ticket would be elected members in their own right and could vote any way they wanted.
“We just need fresh blood on the board,” Clark said.
While recruiting was underway, he was confident they would be able to field eight to 10 candidates who have a cross-section of skills and shared a similar vision for the city.
He had hoped to attract some younger candidates as part of the ticket, but it was challenging.
“I had a few that I tapped on the shoulder that were eager, but they pulled out afterwards.”
Nominations for candidates open on 15 July.