New Year at the Mount is reverting to its traditional roots following this week's decision by Tauranga City Council to stop paying for public entertainment.

The reasoning behind the decision are claims the event is increasingly dangerous for larger numbers of participants.

File Photo.

The crowds are younger, drunker, and more of them are being sexually assaulted and or beaten, says Mayor Stuart Crosby.

He's been at the Mount every New Year for 10 years and says the atmosphere has shifted and over the last three years and it is more volatile and violent.

There is increasing risk to the safety of people going to an event the council owns.

'We have to change tack,” says Stuart.

The legal opinion is the council is seen as having less risk of liability if there is no organised event than if there was.

In part, this is because the council does not have a legal responsibility to prevent public disorder. The legal opinion also outlines that the council is considered to have a duty of care to support agencies like the police, which do have a responsibility.

The city council became involved in NYE entertainment at the Mount after the riots of 2001. Then mayor Noel Pope threatened to drop New Year concerts following riots in which 80 people were admitted to hospital, and 12 police injured.

Police arrested 101 people, 60 during what they described as a riot.

Fences in front of the concert stage were knocked down at 12.30am and the police bridged the gap for an hour until they were injured by bottles and forced to close the concert to avoid escalating violence.

The 2001 event was not a first concert to be besieged by elements of the 20-30,000 Mount NYE crowd.

People have always gone to the Main beach to see in the New Year, whether there is a band, stage show or not, something commented on by councillors in discussion.

Four councillors voted against it; Catherine Stewart, Bill Grainger, Rick Curach and John Robson.

Their concerns include the costs rising from a quarter to three quarters of a million dollars, the lateness of the request for action, and the fact that withdrawing the council funded entertainment will not guarantee a quiet night.

Councillors voted for option B; No organised event at Mount Maunganui Main Beach (with proposed enhanced city operations and proactive safety controls), Tauranga CBD fireworks, and a youth event at ASB Arena, which is expected to cost $532,000, compared with the budget of $279,000.

There will still be a police presence at the Mount for New Year and the area of the alcohol ban was extended in September from the Salisbury Avenue to Hull Road Tweed Street.

Western Bay of Plenty area commander Inspector Clifford Paxton told councillors police will be setting the tone early, and will be highly visible and highly active.

Since the news broke, mayoral candidate Max Mason has put out a statement in support of the dissenting voters saying the council decision illustrates a typically patronising ‘we know best' attitude, which is why youth voting is so low.

'There is all the hand-wringing about why young people aren't engaged in local politics and voting, and here's your answer,” says Max.

'A very fast decision has been made and the community including young people haven't been adequately engaged.”

The council report on the New Year's Eve debate yesterday lists the stakeholders involved in the New Year's Eve event, and the attendees are not even mentioned, says Max.

'How are we going to make good decisions in this city if we don't consult with the people most impacted on? Doesn't the council know that you always get a better decision if you involve, and listen to, the solutions of the people who are involved the most.

'There is huge disappointment for younger residents, who possibly would have come up with other solutions if they were involved in the decision making process,”

Max believes council needs to change its patronising attitude and hopes the pending election will result in a change in culture.