Potential future councillors of Tauranga have been issued a warning: Don't fight.

"You are going to need to work with whoever your colleagues end up being, without squabbles, without arguments, without negativity, without bad behaviour.”

This was advice for potential candidates in the upcoming Tauranga election from former Christchurch deputy mayor Andrew Turner.

Turner was one of 14 speakers at Monday’s Tauranga City Council Candidate Information Evening.

On July 20 the city will elect a mayor and nine councillors, the first election since 2019.

In late 2020, the 2019 council was deposed by former Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta because it was “dysfunctional” and there were significant governance problems.

She appointed the four person commission, chaired by Anne Tolley, who began in February 2021.

Turner told the crowd of around 100 people that regardless of who was elected to council the community would expect them to get things done.

“The way to get things done, of course, is to collaborate not only with your colleagues, but to come up with proposals that council staff are able to support, the community wants to see done and at least a majority of your colleagues are able to agree with.”

Prospective candidates were told being a councillor was a 24/7 role where you could get a call at any time and the expectation was to answer.

“This role has the ability to take over your whole life, and it's important that you keep some balance so that that doesn't happen,” said Turner.

Commissioner Shadrach Rolleston was interrupted by a former councillor during his speech. Photo: Alisha Evans/ SunLive.

The event went smoothly except for one interruption as commissioner Shadrach Rolleston spoke about the importance of relationships, with central government other councils and MPs.

Former councillor John Robson interjected from the crowd. “Shad you need to mention the community mate,” he said

Rolleston responded: “I'm going to get to that. I'm talking about central government. Okay. Which is a key focus for local government.”

Tauranga City Council chief executive Marty Grenfell said they shouldn't take standing for council lightly and it would require strong leadership.

“It might look from the outside that this is easy, but I can assure you it's not.

“It's complex, it can be all encompassing, but if you get it right, it can be absolutely, immensely rewarding.”

Grenfell said the operating and capital budget for council this year was over $800 million.

Tauranga City Council chief executive Marty Grenfell said being a councillor wasn't easy. Photo: Alisha Evans/ SunLive.

“It's a big scale operation. It's a big job, and we're dealing with numbers that not too many people have dealt with before.

“We're talking about with real issues, real lives, real people.

“It's important that we get things right and we can't afford to learn on the job.”

A panel discussion with Western Bay of Plenty mayor James Denyer, Former Tauranga councillor of 21 years Mary Dillon, Priority One CEO Nigel Tutt and Matua Residents Association chair Richard Kluit focussed on external relationships.

Dillon said it wasn’t a councillor’s opinion that mattered, it was their judgment.

“If you just deliver your opinion at the council table you’re failing,” this was met with applause from the audience.

Around 100 people attended the candidate information evening at the Holy Trinity Church Hall. Photo: Alisha Evans/ SunLive.

Denyer said managing relationships was important and another big part of the job was reading all the reports.

He was asked by former councillor Murray Guy what the biggest difference were between being a councillor and the mayor.

Denyer said it was a step up and you had to be able to lead your council, its plans and projects.

“You are the face of council to some extent.”

It was easier if you were a councillor before becoming mayor, but he said that might be tricky in this election given the gap since the last elected council.

His final thoughts on being an elected member were: “[It’s] a lot of reading and also not much happens very quickly in the local government.”

Other speakers were commission chair Anne Tolley, commissioners Bill Wasley and Stephen Selwood, Dr Jim Mather, Whakatāne councillor Tu O’Brien, electoral officer Warwick Lamp and Te Ranagapu Mana Whenua o Tauranga Moana chair Matire Duncan.

Nominations for candidates opens on April 26.

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