Auckland Future announces North Shore ward candidates

Danielle Grant standing for Auckland Future for Auckland Council local body elections. Photo / Supplied

Auckland's political right faces more problems with three candidates contesting two council seats on the North Shore at October's local body elections.

New political ticket Auckland Future today announced it had selected former Takapuna community board member Fay Freeman and Kaipatiki Local Board member Danielle Grant to contest the North Shore ward.

Fay Freeman standing for Auckland Future for Auckland Council local body elections. Photo / Supplied

A short time later sitting North Shore councillor and former North Shore City mayor George Wood said he was seeking re-election.

Mr Wood said he supported the intent of a fiscal policy and pledge being urged on centre-right candidates by Auckland Future, but had decided to stand as an independent.

"I don't want to be restricted from giving citizens of North Shore the focused attention they deserve and need," he said.

The fiscal responsibility pledge that includes holding household rates to 2 per cent over the next three years has been rebuffed by another centre-right councillor, Dick Quax.

Auckland Future chairman Peter Tong said the board was in talks with some sitting councillors regarding the pledge and confident of securing a centre-right majority of councillors at the October elections.

A National MP today said Auckland Future does not have universal support in the party.

"They are burning more bridges than they are building," said the MP, who did not want to be named.

Auckland Future and the Communities and Residents political ticket, which ruled the former Auckland City Council for decades, are running separate campaigns. C&R has opened nominations for two candidates to contest the two Albert-Eden-Roskill seats. Auckland Future selected a lawyer Rob Harris in March to contest the ward.