Two of the Rotorua District Residents and Ratepayers Association's original seven council candidates have withdrawn from running for the council on behalf of the association.
The association has now endorsed a different candidate to replace them.
The association announced its seven endorsed candidates at the start of March. Since then Wilhemina Mohi has withdrawn from the race for councillor and Kevin Coutts has decided to run for councillor independently.
Mohi told the Rotorua Daily Post she was still a member of the association and would continue to be so but had other interests and projects she was working on.
Kevin Coutts is running for council independently. Photo / File
"It was going to be a bit of an overload for me to continue."
Coutts withdrew from being an association-endorsed candidate to run independently at the start of the month but said he preferred to keep his reasons for doing so to himself.
Association secretary Dr Reynold Macpherson said Coutts also remained a member of the association and provided the Rotorua Daily Post with an email in which Coutts explained why he had decided to run independently.
In the email, Coutts told councillor Charles Sturt the association members were "talented people who have some good ideas for the future of our city and its people".
"I reluctantly left the group as I am and have always been more comfortable making my own decisions and living by them. No other reason."
Wilhemina Mohi has withdrawn from the running. Photo / Supplied
Macpherson, who is endorsed as the association's mayoral candidate, said Mohi withdrew for personal reasons.
"The withdrawals are unfortunate because they both made such wonderful contributions. But we are six months out from the election and they could be made up as others decide to ... seek endorsement," Macpherson said.
The battle for the council chambers has already begun. Photo / File
"We will be pleased to have others who share our determination to reform council step forward."
Macpherson said the perceived ability of the association to represent all residents and ratepayers, including Māori, women and youth, would "only be affected if people make ageist and racist judgments at face value".
Linda Rowbotham has since been announced as a councillor candidate running on behalf of the association.
Rowbotham could not be reached for comment but in a post on the Rotorua District Residents and Ratepayers Facebook page Rowbotham wrote she had lived in Rotorua for 22 years and had more than 10 years experience in financial management.
She wrote she was committed to community development and minimising rates rises.
"I believe that council must be run like a business. Paying off debt through smarter, more careful expenditure, and operating within budgets are critical.
"A key objective should be much higher transparency, with commercial interests protected, through open rather than public-excluded decision-making."
Rowbotham also said residential and commercial development was essential and infrastructure development needed to anticipate demand.
"We need to catch up on the maintenance of existing infrastructure, use community needs to set priorities in each annual plan, and manage projects so that they deliver on time and under budget."
