Blog

In the spirit of Kotahitanga my style of leadership, as your Mayor, is about building unity through open communication, transparency, respect and trust. As often as I can I seek to share what we are working on, the progress we are making for the city and my vision and observations of what we need to address to build a stronger community and city together. You’ll find my latest blogs here.

INTRODUCING HI TECH VAL

Introducing my Mother, Val, or @hitechval for the Twitterati among you. Of course sons love their Mum’s, and I’m thrilled to have this...

Tenby Powell

Sep 19, 20191 min read

TAURANGA NEEDS LESS COUNCILLORS AND GREATER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

I announced I’m running for the Tauranga Mayoralty on Saturday 11th May and started campaigning the following Monday. During this past...

Tenby Powell

Sep 19, 20191 min read

UNDERSTANDING SINGLE TRANSFERABLE VOTING (STV)

This year, the new voting system is complicated and we all need to understand how it works. Under Single Transferable Voting, if you...

Tenby Powell

Sep 18, 20191 min read

ACCESSIBILITY MATTERS

Big thanks to WBOP Disability Support Trust for organising the Mayoral candidate meeting yesterday. The fear of not being able to...

Tenby Powell

Sep 18, 20191 min read

THE INDIAN COMMUNITY MATTERS

Great meeting tonight with members of Tauranga’s #Indian community. My big thanks to Taj Singh Khattra for organising this meeting. We...

Tenby Powell

Sep 17, 20191 min read

Meet the Mayoral Candidates Forum for the Disability Community

I’m looking forward to the Meet the Mayoral Candidates Forum for the Disability Community tomorrow (Weds 18th September). An important...

Tenby Powell

Sep 16, 20191 min read

DON’T JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT . . . No: 2

I believe I can achieve Greater Regional Cooperation to the benefit of Tauranga and my work on APEC speaks to my leadership abilities....

Tenby Powell

Sep 16, 20191 min read

Happy Friday 13th everyone!

Curiously, President Franklin D. Roosevelt would not travel on the 13th day of any month as he was ‘triskaidekaphobic’ - having an...

Tenby Powell

Sep 13, 20191 min read

AS YOUR MAYOR, I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THE ARTS

And on that subject, I want to recognise the indefatigable Jo Bond and her board of Trustees. I particularly want to acknowledgment Jo’s...

Tenby Powell

Sep 8, 20191 min read

THE VALUES OF MILITARY TRAINING SERVE ME WELL

For those who served in the Military, you will know that recruit training focuses on dress, bearing and teamwork. Learning how to iron...

Tenby Powell

Sep 6, 20193 min read

IT’S TIME FOR A PUBLIC APOLOGY FROM THE MAYOR OF TAURANGA

With the release of a small section of the damning Colgan report into the role TCC played in the failure of Bella Vista Homes, I believe...

Tenby Powell

Sep 6, 20192 min read

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE: JOIN ME ON TENBY’S TRAILS TO ‘WALK-THE-TALK’

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dad’s It’s spring! Let’s get out there! I hope you can join me tomorrow, Monday 2nd Sept at 0630, to walk...

Tenby Powell

Sep 1, 20191 min read

IT’S SIGN TIME! AND MAY I BORROW YOUR FENCE PLEASE?

This weekend will see New Zealand polluted with political hoardings, Tauranga included. Sadly this necessary evil won’t last long and I...

Tenby Powell

Aug 29, 20191 min read

SO - YOU WANNA BE MAYOR OF TAURANGA? TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF

My thanks to Matt Cowley and the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce for hosting the Mayoral Debate at Baycourt. You were a great MC tonight...

Tenby Powell

Aug 28, 20192 min read

NO MORE CAVING IN - HANDS OFF OUR UNDERPASS

Big thumbs up to Phillip Brown, Heidi Hughes and the organisers of the Bayfair Shopping Centre underpass rally which attracted some 1000...

Tenby Powell

Aug 25, 20191 min read

SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED A HUG

I’m now in month four of campaigning for the Tauranga Mayoralty and it’s fair to say it’s been busy. During that time my military mates...

Tenby Powell

Aug 22, 20191 min read

Matua Matters Meeting

My thanks to the large group of Matua residents who braved the chilly evening to join me last night at the Matua Matters meeting. I...

Tenby Powell

Aug 21, 20191 min read

WHY IM ADVOCATING FOR GREATER REGIONAL COOPERATION

Folks - Below is a link to an article that is worth reading ahead of local government elections. For many years now I’ve advocated for...

Tenby Powell

Aug 20, 20191 min read

Hands off our underpass

Great to see Heidi Huges (running as a councillor-at-large this election) advocating for the Bayfair underpass. It is inconceivable to me...

Tenby Powell

Aug 19, 20191 min read

TAURANGA CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR & COUNCIL

So now nominations have closed, we know who’s running. So - I’m keen to get your thoughts. I’ve been campaigning for the past three...

Tenby Powell

Aug 15, 20191 min read