Some 50 ratepayers attended a by-election hustings at Port St Mary town hall.

But many expressed surprised at the format, after the three candidates - Jill Hamilton, Norman McGregor Edwards and Karena Thewlis - chose not to take part in a joint question and answer session.

Instead, after each had addressed the audience for five minutes, they took a seat at separate desks and residents were invited to speak to them individually.

The by-election, taking place tomorrow (Friday), was called after Richard Ashcroft stood down as commissioner.

Port St Mary has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent months, following the resignation of commissioners clerk Alastair Hamilton, a 5.2% rate rise, the cancellation of a kerbside recycling contract and controversy over the purchase and refurbishment of Manxonia House.

Each election hopeful, in their five-minute address, was critical of the way the board had managed affairs.

Mrs Hamilton, who is wife of the former clerk, said: ’I do not believe this community is being well served by the board. Our rate rise is way too high.

’Our recycling scheme led the island. It’s now been cancelled in a frenzy of fake news. We were told it was due to the recycling company having changed hands. A quick search of company records shows that’s completely untrue. We require honesty and transparency from the representatives we have elected.’

She criticised the recent decision to put Manxonia House up for sale when its refurbishment is only half completed, a decision she claimed ’will only cost ratepayers dearly’.

And she said she didn’t believe there was any clear case for amalgamation as Port St Mary was a ’tight-knit community with little in common with our neighbours in Port Erin.’

Mr McGregor Edwards said: ’Things are really not right. ’We’ve had a 5.2% rate rise with contradictory explanations as to why that was which we virtually had to drag out of the board.

’Manxonia House was brought with no clear idea to what it would be used for and no awareness of the costs of refurbishment.’

Mr McGregor Edwards said the village’s reputation had been damaged.

He said he would support communication and transparency ’because that really has been missing’.

Miss Thewlis said: ’I think what’s happening at the moment is wrong.

’We’re not getting the information we require so we can make educated decisions.

’When substantial amounts are being spent on Manxonia House, I really think residents and ratepayers should have known beforehand and not after the fact.’

She added: ’I can’t promise to change what has already gone on. What I can do is promise to make it stop, and stop now.’