North and South, New Zealand's mayors score an average 6 out of 10 for power and effectiveness, but who are the 9's?

We all get to vote for a mayor directly, as if their leadership in a city or district is somehow extra special. In contrast, we don't get to vote directly for the prime minister.

But are most mayors actually powerful politicians in their local patches, or just ceremonial figureheads?

As local election voting papers hit letterboxes, we have rated and ranked all 78 of the country's mayors and regional chairs.

The ratings are subjective, made by our council and civic reporters around the country, who monitor the performance of local councils, supplemented by opinion from key local figures.

Mayoral power is a mix of the mana of the mayoral position and the charisma and effectiveness of the individual incumbent right now in the lead up to the elections.

The results show that it is the provincial towns and districts where a mayor is the most influential. More Mayors in the provinces earn high ratings for their power and influence than their counterparts in the big smoke.

The average power ranking for all the mayors and chairs is 6.7 out of 10.

There are a few who are rated as falling below, with one scoring just 2.

If the council as a whole is performing poorly, it is the mayor who inevitably bears the brunt of the criticism

DOMINICO ZAPATA/FAIRFAX NZ "There are times when you have to make a decision," Waikato Regional Council's chairwoman Paula Southgate.

In Auckland, mayor Len Brown scored a 9.

Brown has done much to squander his own personal political capital due to being caught out and exposed for having an affair, but the Auckland mayoralty itself, given the size of the city, its population and its budget, is widely regarded as one of the most powerful political posts in the country regardless of who wears the mayoral chains.

TOP METRO MAYORS

Upper Hutt - Wayne Guppy - ranked a 9

Auckland - Len Brown - ranked a 9

Whangarei - Shirley Mai - ranked an 8

Porirua - Nick Leggett - ranked an 8

Hutt City - Ray Wallace - ranked an 8

Hamilton - Julie Hardaker - ranked an 8

BIG MONEY

The mayors are important.

They head councils that between them controlled more than $6.7 billion per year of ratepayers money on services and infrastructure in the 2014/15 financial year.

Another political leader rated as wielding significant influence in their region is Waikato Regional Council's Paula Southgate.

She is stepping down from the chair after one term to contest Hamilton's mayoralty.

She acknowledges being in the hot seat can be challenging.

"[On council] we have wildly different views, but there are times when you have to make a decision, I think I'm fair and firm, I prefer not to use my casting vote but have had to a couple of times," Southgate said.

Waikato Chambers of Commerce chief executive William Durning agrees our rating of 9 our ot 10 is deserved. In his opinion Southgate, who in total has served 15 years on the council, has successfully steered the local body.



Southgate is said to have a firm grasp of detail and procedure and has been able to steer a sometimes divided regional council to decisions including establishing a regional development fund.



TOP PROVINCIAL MAYORS

Hurunui - Winton Dalley - 10

Grey District - Tony Kokshoorn - 9

Hauraki - John Tregida - 9

South Taranaki - Ross Dunlop - 9