Three contenders had already put their hands up for the $114,000-a-year job despite a by-election not yet officially being called. This cannot be done until Daniels officially hands in his resignation. The Labour-aligned People’s Choice political grouping has chosen Waitai/Coastal-Burwood Community Board chairman Kelly Barber as its candidate. New Brighton Residents’ Association Celeste Donovan and former city councillor David East both said they would run as independents. JOSEPH JOHNSON/STUFF Broadcaster, city councillor and iwi leader James Daniels is set to join Simon Barnett to co-host Newstalk ZB Afternoons. East, 68, who served six years on the city council and nine years on a community board before that, was ousted by Daniels at the October 2019 election.