Tauranga City Council has been given an overhaul following the weekend's election results that see seven new councillors elected – and more women returning to chambers.

Otumoetai ward councillor Catherine Stewart's three year term as the only woman on the city council is over, being joined on the weekend by Bev Edlin and Gail McIntosh.

Catherine's looking forward to working with the women on the new council.

'It's a really nice balance that, and having younger elected members as well I think will create a really good balance,” says Catherine.

'So I'm excited about the potential to work together for the community to achieve great outcomes and focus more on our debt issues.”

The new council faces two changes. Councillors salaries have been reduced, and the rules have been changed to grant the reelected Mayor Stuart Crosby more powers.

'I believe he can choose his own deputy mayor if he wants to, but my understanding from comments he's made in the last year is that it will go to the vote, but I believe he does have that discretion to use those powers.

'We haven't really had good updates on the changes. In the past sometimes we haven't been kept up to date with what's going on in that regard, so moving forward I hope we are kept more in the loop with things that affect us.

'I think it's good, new blood.”

Both Bev Edlin and Gail McIntosh could not be contacted for comment today.

Only Catherine, and councillors Rick Curach, and Bill Grainger have survived from the previous council. Mayor Stewart Crosby began the last term with a majority of 13,087 against his closest rival then councillor Murray Guy.

He begins the new triennium with a majority of 505 ahead of new candidate Kelvin Clout, who has not been on council before.

Other new councillors include Steve Morris and Clayton Mitchell in the Mount Maunganui/Papamoa ward, ousting long-standing former councillors David Stewart and Wayne Moultrie.

At large seats went to Gail, along with the younger voice of Matt Cowley, and John Robson while Kelvin Clout is a new face to join returning councillor Bill Grainger representing the Welcome Bay/Te Papa ward.

Returning officer Warwick Lampp says there are about 200 special votes to be counted, which will not affect the outcome.

The voter return was 37.4 per cent – 31,670 votes not counting special votes. In 2010 the return 43.45 per cent - 34,914 votes excluding special votes.

Allowing online voting may help boost local body election returns, but Warwick says it is not a silver bullet.

'Because everyone's busy and leave things to the last minute, and voting in council elections is not an easy process,” says Warwick.

'There are a lot of candidates that people don't know, there's profile books that people have to read. That takes some time to give due consideration.

'It's not a two or three minute job these days - it's no surprise it's becoming harder for people to vote.”

Tauranga City Councillors:

Mayor
	Stuart Crosby - reelected
At Large
	Gail McIntosh - new
	Matt Cowley - new
	John Robson - new
	Rich Curach - reelected
Otumoetai-Pyes Pa Ward
	Catherine Stewart - reelected
	Bev Edlin – new
Mount Maunganui-Papamoa Ward
	Clayton Mitchell - new
	Steve Morris - new
Te Papa-Welcome Bay Ward
	Kelvin Clout – new
	Bill Grainger - reelected
Gone:
	Larry Baldock
	Tony Christiansen
	Bill Faulkner
	Murray Guy
	Wayne Moultrie
	David Stewart
	Terry Molloy