Bring your burning election questions to our candidate info sessions

“How much can I spend on my campaign?”

“How many hours will being a Councillor take up?”

“What can I change?”

If these are the kinds of burning questions that have you on the fence about standing for Council in this year’s elections, then Western Bay of Plenty District Council is here to help.

As part of the Generation Change / He panoni ā reanga campaign, Council is hosting two candidate information sessions at The Centre - Patuki Mānawa, Katikati Library on 26 July and Te Puke Library on 27 July – both from 6-7pm.

These informal sessions are the perfect opportunity to help aspiring candidates understand local government a bit better. They’re designed to cover the campaigning dos and don’ts, responsibilities and expectations if elected, and everything in between.

Following a short presentation, attendees will also be given the opportunity to ask questions of Council CEO John Holyoake, Group Manager Strategy and Community, Rachael Davie and an Election Services representative.

“These sessions are priceless in helping people not only understand the vital role Council plays in the community but clear up any questions or issues which may prevent them coming unstuck during the campaign period,” explains John.

“To keep it simple, we’ve broken the session presentation into three parts; getting to know Council a bit better including our strategic priorities, the electoral process, and what happens if I’m elected?

“It is important we be up front and honest with people now so there are no false pretences of what the roles Mayor, Councillor and Community Board member involve should they be elected by their community.”

For those unable to attend, the presentation will be published on the Generation Change website (generationchange.nz), or individuals can book a hui or Zoom session with our team to speak confidentially on any questions they may have. To book in a session please phone 0800 926 732 or email governance@westernbay.govt.nz.

Key dates and details

• Candidate nominations close at midday Friday 12 August.
• Nomination papers can be collected from all Council service centres or downloaded at generationchange.nz.
• To be eligible to stand for election, a candidate must be a New Zealand citizen, enrolled, and nominated by two people whose names appear on the electoral roll within the Western Bay of Plenty district.

Visit generationchange.nz for more information.