New Tauranga mayor Tenby Powell's plan for his first 100 days

Re-elected Western Bay mayor Garry Webber with new Tauranga mayor Tenby Powell. Photo / George Novak

Culture change and relationship-building are at the top of Tenby Powell's to-do list for his first 100 days as mayor of Tauranga.

But there are also a few projects he wants to take a look at, chief among them the Mauao Base Track and Tauranga's controversial begging ban.

"What I want to know is, what the plan is. We need to develop a plan."

Different groups needed to come together to solve the problems, he said.

Powell says he plans to meet with Transport Minister Phil Twyford and other Government leaders early in the piece in an attempt to improve central government relationships and get traction on issues like the Bayfair Underpass.

"That isn't a nice to have, it's a must-have."

Powell says his plan to change the culture of the council extends beyond the chamber - but there is work to be done there too.

"It's about making sure the council agrees how we're going to operate effectively. Of course there will be debate, that's an important part of the democratic process, but at the same time got to find a way to work together as more of a team than this city has seen in a long time."

He said the council needed a set of values and beliefs pervading the entire organisation.

He wants to see the council treating residents more like customers.

"They are our customers and we are there to serve them."

His dream was for people who engaged with the council to walk out feeling good about the service they received, the organisation, the city and themselves.