Watch the full Local Focus interview for Nigel Simpson's views on the region's biggest issues and our less important quick-fire questions.
Nigel Simpson is running for mayor and is a candidate for Napier City Council in the Taradale Ward.
He has completed a Master of Business Administration and has 30 years of experience in local government management.
"I'm running for mayor because there is some serious culture and leadership issues on the council," Simpson said.
"I believe I have the skills and the experience to rectify those problems."
Simpson is in his first term on the council and holds the Three Waters portfolio.
"The council has made progress this year, we have increased the budgets around Three Waters to ensure that we are rolling out far better-improved services," Simpson said.
"It's a finite resource and we have to look after it better but we can only look after it better if we are in charge of it. Therefore Three Rivers should stay with local government."
When asked which political party he would run for government with, he answered in economics terms.
"I'm more liberal, so I'd probably tend to be somewhere between National and Act."