Local elections 2022: Whanganui businesswoman Glenda Brown wants to be strong voice for Whanganui

Glenda Brown has been confirmed as a council candidate for the 2022 Whanganui District Council elections. Photo / Supplied

Businesswoman Glenda Brown has been confirmed as a nominee for a seat at the Whanganui District Council table in the 2022 election.

"The time seems right and I'm ready to make time available for what I see as important community work," she said.

Brown is the chairwoman of the Whanganui Chamber of Commerce and co-owner of a local construction company she established with her husband Baden 20 years ago.

She has been a trustee and chaired boards of trustees at two local schools, serving for a total of 13 years.

Brown is also a director of a national build and design company with a head office in Whanganui and a registered mentor with Business Mentors NZ and a member of the NZ Institute of Directors.

If elected, Brown said she wanted to ensure the council continued to work with the Whanganui Chamber of Commerce to support local businesses to thrive and provide growth and employment.

"Successful businesses are at the heart of a flourishing community - offering more opportunities for employment, a growing population and more services for everyone to access," she said.

"These are vital things we all want for our region."

Brown said she would work to ensure Whanganui maintained a local voice in the face of local government reforms over the next three years.

She said the reforms to the Resource Management Act (RMA) were intended to streamline processes.

"My hope is that these reforms are not just a shift in bureaucracy but will in fact be able to assist in local government with planning," Brown said.

"Our council has noted they were not in favour of the Three Waters Reforms – to no avail.

"Retaining our regional voice and being involved in lobbying for our region will never be more important."

While it was not possible to anticipate what impacts the Review of Local Government would have on Whanganui, she said maintaining a strong local voice and identity would be imperative for the council over the next term.

Brown said living in Whanganui was "a treat" after 32 years of residing in the city.

"We originally hail from Hawke's Bay and we've raised a family and now have grandchildren here. I'm proud to call Whanganui home and I feel it has a special culture that sets it apart in New Zealand."

If elected, what do you want to be judged on after your first year?

I can't promise the world as I am only one person of 12 around the table. But I can promise to have a local voice to champion our region, be a voice for business around the table and advocate for the vulnerable.

How will you do that?

By maintaining sound values, being reliable and truthful, listening to and valuing others, and being courageous, being unafraid to take on new challenges.