Wellington's mayor is a fan of the newly painted bucket from the capital's infamous bucket fountain.

The yellow bucket went missing last week and was returned with a new artistic look.

Where it used to be black inside, it now has a colourful mural - a rainbow design featuring an eye.

The Wellington City Council is expected to decide in the next few days whether to keep its new colour scheme.

Mayor Celia Wade Brown rather likes it: "I'm really glad they brought it back unharmed and apparently enhanced, from what I've seen. I think it's quite an attractive little paint job."

"Maybe we'll leave it for now!"

A poll conducted on the council's Twitter account shows 78 percent of people who voluntarily voted want to keep the new art work.