They're a suffocating, disempowering, mediocre force. Les gets elected on the basis that he doesn't frighten the horses. That he's stable and so are Citizens and Ratepayers. Les played the wise man angle for all it was worth on the final ATV mayoral debate. It was an attempt at mystification of which Pam was having not a bar.
Someone does have to count the council pennies.
The establishment is starting to sweat - as well it might. I like the fact that Corkery has tried to reach young voters and, apart from anything else, it has not escaped my notice that she's the second person involved with the Alliance to actually be allowed to own and operate a personality. The first, of course, is Chairman Jim. Sandra Lee had a personality, but people didn't like it, so she wasn't allowed to use it any more. Of course, Pam's nominally an independent - which I regard as a plus.