Here comes the debates - and your chance to meet Hastings and Napier local body election candidates.

The Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce is planning mayoral forums, while Napier and Hastings Grey Power are holding meet-the-candidate meetings.

The first of them, run for Hastings council candidates, is Thursday August 7. Grey Power Hastings & District Association is holding it at Duart House, 51 Duart Rd, Havelock North at 2pm.

Mayoral Forums will be an interesting insight into the personalities and politics of those wanting to run the two cities. They will feature opening remarks from candidates, selected questions submitted by Chamber members, a live Q&A and closing statements.

The Hastings forum is on Thursday, August 28, at Hastings Boys’ High School. Arrive at 5pm, start at 5.15pm.

There are five Hastings mayoral candidates, Wendy Schollum, Damon Harvey, Steve Gibson, Marcus Buddo and Darrin Wilson. The Napier event will be held on Wednesday, September 10, at the Taradale Club, 5pm arrival, 5.15pm start.

There are three Napier mayoral candidates, incumbent Kirsten Wise, Nigel Simpson and Richard McGrath. Grey Power Hastings president Ron Wilkins said that because there are so many Hastings District Council candidates, he has split them into two meetings. “I have invited 17 newcomers to the [first] meeting,” Wilkins said.

“It’s important to attend these meetings and get to know who the candidates are, especially with the big issues we have in Hastings at the moment with rates. "I know some of our members are struggling to pay them,” Wilkins said.

The second meeting for the remaining new candidates as well as sitting candidates will be on September 5, at The Baptist Church Hall, Lyndon Rd East, Hastings, at 2pm. Grey Power Napier will also be holding two local body elections candidate meetings.

The first is on Tuesday, August 19, for the three Napier Mayoral candidates and all of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council candidates for Napier voters. The second is on Tuesday, September 16, for all other candidates standing for the Napier City Council. Both will be held St Columba’s Church, 176 Gloucester St, Taradale, starting at 1.30pm.

Grey Power publicity officer and deputy chair Maxine Boag said candidates will be sent invitations closer to the date. Boag said Napier Grey Power was keen to see candidates face-to-face. Boag, who is retiring from the Napier Council after 18 years, said that the older people they serve have “the highest rates of voter enrolment”.

– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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