Fiona Ziff is best known for spearheading the campaign for an improved North Wagga levee, but she insists she is not a one-issue candidate.

Ms Ziff's main election platform will be to introduce a "community-led" style of council, reinstating some of the working groups and advisory committees that have closed down over the years.

Her long-term goal is to establish a "Wagga Citizen's Assembly", where ordinary residents have their say on the biggest issues facing the community.

"I'm running for council because I think we need some serious change, namely that decision making should be handed back to the community so they can take control of Wagga's future," Ms Ziff said.

"The community's been effectively shut out of the decision making process, and all the big decisions are made behind closed doors. It's not working, and they're non-representative of the community."

Other items of her agenda are better stormwater management, more water for Lake Albert, and more direct communication with residents through social media platforms such as Facebook.

She hopes to dedicate her energy full-time to these causes, having sold her Thorne Street Cafe in October in order to focus her efforts on the campaign trail.

If elected, she said she would continue to dedicate herself to the job of being a councillor on a full-time basis.

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Ms Ziff said she was looking forward to the election, and she hopes to see more independents rise up to replace the "dysfunctional" lot currently in the chamber.

"They need a different perspective, and they need someone who has the skills, has the focus, and the determination to work for the general community," Ms Ziff said. "The people of Wagga need a voice, and I believe I'm it."

Supporting her bid for council is former councillor Lindsay Vidler, who served on council for 23 years.

Mr Vidler is another vocal critic of the current group of councillors, who he describes as "one of the worst councils" he has ever seen.

He blames "politics" for the current state of affairs, which is why he is throwing his lot in with independents like Ms Ziff.

"Unfortunately they let politics get into Wagga City Council. Councillors need to look at what's best for Wagga, not what's best for them and their parties," Mr Vidler said.

"Fiona's fought hard for the people of North Wagga and Wagga in general. She's a person who has the energy, the interest, and the independence."

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