Ornsby was inspired by the Goughs Bay saga – where the community was cut off after a deluge in December – and city councillor Phil Mauger’s mayoral bid.
“I thought I could work under someone like Phil. He’s very pragmatic and a ‘gets stuff done kind of guy’,” she said.
Once Turner, who is the caucus leader of The People’s Choice, announced in February he was ending his political career at the end of this term in October, Fields – one of two board members representing Lyttelton – was considered the front-runner to stand for the left-leaning faction.
The Somerfield-based IT developer was elected to the community board via a Lyttelton subdivision by-election in 2018 and retained the role at the following local government election.
“This is the logical progression.
“When you’re on the board you try and juggle a job and be a board member at the same time, you can’t give all of yourself to the community like you want to, but councillors can,” he said.
Peden, a Little River-based business owner, joined the community board in 2016 as an independent and was chosen as chairwoman in 2019. “This is the next step up for me,” she said.
Reuben Davidson, The People’s Choice campaign manager, will seek to continue serving Lyttelton at board level, while first-time candidates, Cathy Lum-Webb (Lyttelton) and Luana Swindells (Mt Herbert), will also seek election to the board under The People’s Choice banner.
