Former National MP Nick Smith will be standing for mayor in Nelson.
In a social media post, Smith said he loved Nelson but worried that the city council had lost its way.
"I'm offering my governance experience and my energy to provide the city with a positive new direction.
"I have taken two months' leave from Smith Cranes and engineering work building windfarms so I can campaign full time. I will launch my campaign in a few weeks where I will outline my detailed plans for the council and city.
"My vision is for Nelson to be a vibrant, affordable city that is a great place to live, work, grow a business, raise a family, and retire."
Smith retired from Parliament in June 2021 over what he said were personal and professional reasons.
This included a Parliamentary Services inquiry into a "verbal altercation" in his Wellington office in July 2020. That inquiry is ongoing, although Newsroom reported that a draft version of the report found Smith yelled and swore at a staffer as part of a pattern of bullying.
"I will put on the record that I regret the incident, I apologised at the time and I apologise again today. I have decided the best course of action for the parties involved, the National Party, my family and myself is to retire now," Smith said at the time.
Smith lost the Nelson electorate in 2020 to Labour's Rachel Boyack. He was the electorate's MP for 30 years.
The current Nelson Mayor is Rachel Reese, who was first elected in 2013.
Four others have already put their hats in the ring for the Nelson mayoralty: former Nelson City councillor Kerry Neal and incumbent councillors Tim Skinner, Rohan O’Neill-Stevens and Matt Lawrey.
Local elections will be held in October.
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