Brown makes it official

Manukau Mayor Len Brown will cross into enemy territory on Sunday to announce that he will standing for the mayoralty of the Auckland Super City.

Mr Brown will make his announcement at One Tree Hill in the Auckland City Council area, where Mayor John Banks has already put his name forward to be the first Super City mayor.

A recent poll shows Mr Brown is a serious centre-left contender against Mr Banks, the centre-right frontrunner

A head-to-head poll conducted last month by UMR Research had Mr Brown on 35 per cent, marginally ahead of Mr Banks on 34 per cent.

But Mr Banks was well clear of another centre-left leader, Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee, 35 per cent to 18 per cent.

Mr Lee yesterday said he had been approached to stand for the mayoralty but it was far too early to make a call.