Sweet deal? Hastings mayor spends $1200 to create council-branded chocolate

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst purchased 160 branded chocolate bars for $1272 last year to be given as gifts. Photo / Supplied

A sweet or bitter taste? What you think of a special batch of Hastings District Council branded chocolate probably depends on whether you got a piece of it.

Figures obtained under the Local Government Official Information Act have revealed mayor and chairperson expenses across Hawke's Bay for the first 12 months since they were elected in October 2019.

Among the big spend items last year were 160 branded 70g chocolate bars purchased for $1272 by Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst to be given as gifts for various functions.

She said the locally-made La Petite chocolates were used as gifts throughout the year as reciprocal gifts for visitors and ambassadors visiting Hastings, as well as to the Youth Council, Civic Honours recipients and other people who work "tirelessly within the community".

The council also paid $1049 in 2019 for Christmas gift baskets with Telegraph Hill olive oil, manuka-smoked nuts and Cabernet drizzle for the 29 elected members, community board members and executive team.

"Our staff and elected members work extremely hard for our district and it is our way for saying thank you for their efforts," Hazlehurst said.

"We were also mindful of supporting our local producers and retailers in Hastings when selecting these items."

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the locally-made chocolates were used as gifts throughout the year. Photo / File

Hastings District councillor Simon Nixon, who has "a keen eye for anything considered wasteful", said he didn't see the spending as a great concern.

"I think there are probably bigger issues of council spending that should be concentrated on a little more."

A lover of chocolate, he said he probably wouldn't spend $7.95 on one bar (the price the council paid for each) but hadn't been offered any himself.

"It does seem a lot but on the other hand if it's used for good purpose – a lot of people do good work for the city and the region – if in return we give them a slightly overpriced chocolate bar I'm not sure we should get too worked up about it."

Napier City Council also spent about $993 for an end of year Christmas barbeque in 2019.

Mayor Kirsten Wise said it was for councillors, the senior leadership team and their partners.

On a per head basis, it equates to about $25 per person for those invited.

Hawke's Bay Regional Council chairman Rex Graham's expenses reveal he spent $119 on a bottle of Te Mata Colraine for Brian Gaynor as thanks for advice about Napier Port.

Hawke's Bay Regional Council chairman Rex Graham purchased a $119 bottle of local wine as thanks for advice which led to the Napier Port's IPO success. Photo / File

It was a small price to pay for the $108 million return made when the council sold 45 per cent of the port through an Initial Public Offering in late 2019, based on the advice, he said.

"We did well out of it. It was a job that was incredibly well done.

"I bought him a bottle of wine to thank him for his forthright advice."

Included with the bottle of wine was a letter from the people of Hawke's Bay, Graham said.

"I wanted to send him something from Hawke's Bay – I thought that's the nicest bottle of wine."

Hastings District Council came in with the highest of the five councils for total mayoral expenses at $17,228 which included expenditure on accommodation, travel, food, gifts and donations related to mayoral duties.

Next up was Napier City Council with a total of $9983, followed by Central Hawke's Bay District Council on $4728, Hawke's Bay Regional Council on $2217 and Wairoa District Council on $686.