At 21, Josh Chandulal-Mackay is the youngest member of the newly elected Whanganui District Council but said he didn't stand as a standard-bearer for his generation.
"What drove it for me was a fundamental commitment to Whanganui and a real passion for the place," he said.
Mr Chandulal-Mackay has just finished a degree in politics and had served on the council's youth committee for six years so local body politics was something that he loved: "It was really that time on the committee that drove me".
He works for Craigs Investment Partners involved in compliance and that job will continue but council will be his priority.
During his campaign Mr Chandulal-Mackay talked up bringing more events to the city, promoting vibrancy in the city and making Whanganui a place where businesses can do well.