Manukau Mayor Len Brown says John Banks' surprise plan to bring the 2020 Olympic Games to Auckland is a "flight of fancy".

Auckland City Mayor John Banks has admitted claiming $438.80 in entertainment costs.

The number of candidates standing for Auckland Super City mayoralty in the October elections has now jumped to six.

Len Brown told the Herald on Sunday he would quit as Manukau mayor if ratepayers demand he identifies who he meets with.

The Manukau City Council plans to hold a 10-day, $85,000 farewell to itself before it is replaced by the Super City.

Actor and director Simon Prast is standing for the Super City mayoralty to challenge the heavyweight contenders, John Banks and Len Brown.

The future Auckland Council mayor will earn an annual salary of $240,000, it was revealed today - almost 50 per cent more than John Banks currently makes.

Manukau City bosses have sent four colleagues on a leadership programme at a cost of about $75,000, months before their council is disbanded.

John Banks and Len Brown came face-to-face last night for the first time on the Super City mayoral hustings, barely acknowledging one another.

Aucklanders eyeing the Super City mayoral contest are deserting Manukau Mayor Len Brown following his credit card breaches, a survey shows.

Len Brown broke nearly every rule in the book when he put $810 on his council credit card for a dinner at a Manurewa restaurant last September.

Rodney Hide sets out the benefits and answers the critics.

Pip Cheshire writes on the pitfalls of good urban design in Auckland planning.