A new city events policy intended to put Tauranga on the map as a major events destination both nationally and internationally will be put to the public.
Tauranga City Council has today adopted a proposed new policy that will provide an additional $382,000 to the events plan structure, bringing its total budget to $582,000.
The Port of Tauranga Half Ironman is one of Mount Maunganui's most iconic sporting events.
The council is also signalling further discussion on its future investment in events as part of the 2015/2020 long term plan discussion process.
In the coming financial year city council proposes the $200,000 currently budgeted for major events will be matched by an additional $200,000 from external investment.
The flagship event fund remains at $125,000 and the community events funding of $60,000 will in addition have $15,000 in kind support from the council. The New Year's Eve budget is to be increased from $235,000 to $265,000.
The city's contribution is also to include two fulltime staff plus a contract position for strategic events.
It's the first change in council policy and event funding in 10 years and follows on from a workshop in August last year where councillors learned the city's poor showing in the events field can result in the city missing out on hosting events and public activities that bring considerable economic benefit – and that events that have grown and flourished in Tauranga can be poached by other centres.
The policy recognises that events are a competitive industry with regions looking to buy in, or source events from other regions.
The new policy offers a three-yearly contract structure to event-holders as a policy of retention to place Tauranga events like the AIMS Games, Port of Tauranga Half Ironman, Tauranga Garden and Arts Festival, Tauranga Arts Festival and the National Jazz Festival, firmly out of the reach of other cities.
The policy was well supported by councillors. Councillor Rick Curach wanted funding to come from a commercial rate, as he said the city's businesses will be the primary recipients of the business brought in by events. The amendment failed.
Mayor Stuart Crosby says the business sector is already paying an economic development levy and many businesses are paying a mainstreet rate as well.
Councillor John Robson favours funding the events activity, but will be looking to take funding from other areas.
Taupo, with a population of 32,000 budgets $320,000 for commercial events. Rotorua with a population of 69,000 budgets $300,000. Dunedin with a population of 126,000 budgets $400,000 for commercial events plus $50,000 for community events.
Tauranga has a population of 115,000 people, and budgets $200,000.
7 comments
Pipes? What Pipes?
Posted on 04-02-2014 07:21 | By Disappointed
Isn't it great that council can find more money for discretionary spending whilst recommending an additional stormwater levy and above inflation rate increases. Debt? What debt?
Look again
Posted on 04-02-2014 08:36 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
Tauranga council is millions of dollar in debts. I now know why. Funding sporting events should not be one of councils roles.
Amazing !
Posted on 04-02-2014 13:45 | By Jitter
TCC (Ratepayers) are $400 million in debt and TCC can allocate more money to activities that are frivolous and should be funded by the function organisers themselves, especially when they already have the funds to do it, in the bank. One reason these other places can afford to pay more than TCC does currently is that their population bases are totally different. I understood from the campaigns of many councillors that their aim was to see lower rate increases and to stop ridiculous spending on unneccessary but nice to have things. I now see that I was wrong. Once in power their promises go out the window.
LOST THE PLOT< HEARING SELECTIVE.
Posted on 04-02-2014 13:59 | By tabatha
It is time the EM's realised they represent the ratepayers not the want to haves. Until the debt is reduced money for toys, as I call the above, needs pegging back. So please EM's listen and think about people who are hurting, even those renting get hit, Rates go up so does their rent. Owners can not afford to subsidise.
Participant pays
Posted on 04-02-2014 15:30 | By maildrop
If you enter an event like half marathon or triathlon you pay an entry fee for your enjoyable experience. My understanding is that this covers the costs of the event, things like administration, traffic control and all the hardware. If the entry fee isn't covering these costs then the fee is clearly not enough. Does Tauranga really need to attract event organisers to come here? I would suggest that this is a place that attracts them. If TCC employs people to organise events then their costs should be self funding by virtue of the entry income received. It should be a simple case of costing an event by including ALL costs and setting entry fees to recoup the costs, without asking ratepayers to subsidise any event. My gut feeling is that most of this budget is wasted subsidising events that nobody goes to. Learn from that.
Theodorus
Posted on 04-02-2014 22:54 | By Theodorus
A stormwater levy looks the same as G.S.T that was put in place as a temporary measure at the time by the then government,but after all these years we still have to pay it and this present government even increased it.How are families to manage to pay for it all?
limit council involvement
Posted on 05-02-2014 09:15 | By The Tomahawk Kid
Council involvement should be nothing more than telling the world we have the place to hold it, removing hurdles from their way, and closing the streets to allow it to happen, - after that it should be up to the event organiser - not council.and perhaps even advertising the event to help make it a success (websites and regular council advertising avenues)
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