Mr Bell was elected to the position in October 2022, becoming the youngest mayor in New Zealand history at the age of 23, beating incumbent Tracy Hicks by only eight votes.
In a media release, Mr Bell announced his campaign, touting his achievements in his first term.
His stated accomplishments include streamlined upper management, the scrapping of the Streets Alive project, driving ratepayer savings through redirection of funds and halting spending, and challenging wastewater regulations.
Mr Bell said he was focused on delivering a good bang for the ratepayer’s buck.
"Every decision we’ve made has focused on delivering value for ratepayers.
"We’ve moved away from vanity projects to concentrate on what really matters — reliable infrastructure, essential services and careful management of ratepayer money."
If re-elected, Mr Bell said he would prioritise delivering essential infrastructure efficiently.
He wanted to help local businesses through the council, driving much regional growth, and making the council an easy place to work with for ratepayers through practical, community-focused solutions.
Mr Bell’s first term was not all roses.
He and the council found themselves mired in controversy early on which came to national attention.
This eventually culminated in a failed bid for a vote of no-confidence and the deterioration of the relationship between Mr Bell and former chief executive Stephen Parry.
Mr Parry stepped down as chief executive last April.
Mr Bell said the decision to run again did not come quickly, but he wanted to continue to represent the community as well as he could.
He said he was prompted to stand again by people in the district.
"They all said ‘we really want you to stand again, please do another three years. We want to see this good movement, the momentum going forward’.
"So it was actually the community that made my decision easier for me."
Mr Bell said there was still work to be done, but he was proud of the progress made in his first term.
The Ensign contacted all councillors on Monday, with none confirming their candidacy for the race.
Crs Andrew Fraser, Paul McPhail, Richard McPhail, Stewart MacDonell, John Gardyne and Rob McKenzie said they would not be running for mayor.
Crs Neville Phillips, Glenys Dickson and Bronwyn Reid could not be contacted.
Cr Joe Stringer said he was unsure if he would, and would make a decision closer to the date.
Deputy mayor Keith Hovell said all options were on the table, and he would give it due thought.
Former mayor Mr Hicks said he had been having discussions with people in the community, but at this point had no intention of running again.
