Noel Peterson, who's thrown his hat in the ring for the Tauranga Mayoralty, believes he'll bring a different perspective to the local government elections in October.

'If you want more of the same, vote for the rest,” says Noel. 'If you want a new progressive way of running the city I'm probably a lot more out there, and that's what you would get.”

Mayoral candidate Noel Peterson. Supplied Photo.

Announcing his candidacy today, the 'Green Wizard” and Tauranga Envirohub volunteer is the seventh candidate in the race for the Mayoralty.

Noel says he went to a public lecture by urban expert Peter Kageyama on Thursday night, where the guest speaker talked about 'loving your city”.

'Conservatives don't want to change things too much. Peter said you can sometimes take two or three steps. Once you could do a big jump and do ten. I will be the one to do ten,” says Noel.

'I've heard some grumbling about Tauranga looking so dull and boring, and that's why nobody goes down town.”

Noel has a long term interest in local body politics and previously stood for the bay of Plenty Regional Council, back when it was Environment BOP.

'I Keep in contact with councillors, and I'm in frequent contact with the mayor and deputy mayor, so I think I've got a pretty good handle on it,” says Noel.

He's also got a good background on council operation, because he's been recycling all the public council agenda papers over the past five years, he says. Noel's followed the council process very closely, agenda by agenda, and through his work he's also dealt with quite a few city staff.

Noel says he's looking to Tauranga becoming an environmentally progressive city, embracing new technologies, new ways of thinking and doing things, advancing the city toward becoming a carbon neutral city by enabling people to move toward clean efficient transport.

'Since 1953 I have seen Tauranga grow from a seaside village into a city, I have an excellent understanding of our city, a passion to work for you, leading Tauranga into the future,” says Noel.

While having an excellent ability to see the big picture, including the many challenges we will have to overcome in the future, caring for city infrastructure is also vital, with teamwork, prudence, and common sense.

Other mayoral candidates are regional councillor Doug Owens, deputy mayor Kelvin Clout, city councillor John Robson, retirement home manager and former chamber of commerce CEO Max Mason, former Trustpower community services manager Graeme Purches, and former city councillor Murray Guy.