Councillor Q&A: Annette Dudley - Stratford urban ward

Annette Dudley is one of the six councillors elected to Stratford's urban ward. Photo / Supplied

With no election needed in some wards for this year's local government elections, not all of Stratford's newest councillors have run the usual gamut of meet-the-candidate events. With this in mind, the Stratford Press emailed the four new councillors who were elected unopposed, offering them the opportunity to answer a few questions about themselves to let readers learn more about them. We are running the answers of those who responded, in print and online.

Annette Dudley is one of three new councillors on Stratford's urban ward:

What motivated you to stand for council?

I thought about standing at the last election, but wasn't completely sure. So this time around, I decided to give it a go, I want to support businesses within Stratford and help keep costs as low as possible, as well as making Stratford a great place to live and work.

What is your focus for the first few months in the role?

Like any new job, my focus will be to learn as much as possible.

What three things do you think Stratford council could do/support/initiate that would improve the district in any way?

I would love to see Broadway tidied up and be more attractive, to entice more visitors to stop and shop in Stratford. More support for small businesses in Stratford and more improvements to footpaths around town.

What do you think you bring to the council table - skills/experience etc?

As a small business owner, I bring with me the experience of running a business, as well as being involved in numerous committees; this has given me an understanding of what our community might need.

What do you do as a job/profession?

I own A Love of Cakes – By Annette, which means I know all about cake!

What is something people might not know about you?

I grew up in eastern Taranaki on a sheep and deer farm, and lived on a dairy farm up until three years ago. So I know how to milk a cow, as well as dag a sheep.