Election hoardings will be reappearing on some prime Wanganui reserves after the council this week overturned a resolution made four years ago.
The Wanganui District Council voted in the change at its meeting this week and it means campaign signs will be back for the upcoming council by-election to find a replacement for councillor Michael Laws, who has resigned.
Ironically, it was Mr Laws' council, when he was mayor, that decided to ban hoardings in March, 2010.
But the push to revoke that decision was driven by councillor Rob Vinsen who said the policy was "ill-thought out".
"The thinking was that it would help new candidates, because they wouldn't have to spend money on signs during their campaigns," he said.
"But it backfired, and the high-profile candidates were the winners," he said.
Mr Vinsen said he regarded election signs as "democracy in progress" and said no other local authority had a ban like this, "because it doesn't make sense".
In 2010, the council resolved that the six public sites that had traditionally been available for election hoardings would be unavailable.
This decision banned election signs and posters from prominent areas around the city including Cornmarket reserve (corner of Somme Pde and Dublin St), the corner of London St and Purnell St, the corner of Liffiton St and Carlton Ave, Anzac Pde (opposite Hakeke St), the corner of Anzac Pde and Georgetti Rd, and the corner of Bamber St and Cornfoot St.
Under the earlier ruling, the only place available for candidates to put up their signs had been on private property.
The turnaround also means those reserves will be available for candidates in the general election later this year.
Councillor Hamish McDouall left the council table while this item was being discussed. He is the Labour Party candidate for the Whanganui electorate in the upcoming general election.