Tauranga Racecourse entrance is to be upgraded with the work expected to be completed in time for racing in the New Year.

Tauranga City Council this week gave its approval to the $245,000 project to improve the signage, road and entranceway off Cameron Road in Greerton.

Tauranga Racecourse is getting an upgrade to its entranceway, signage and fencing.

The racecourse and golf course are administered by the Tauranga Racecourse Reserve Operation and Management Committee, which is delegated to look after the racecourse and golf course.

But according to TCC, the committee does not have the political power to enter into contract with contractors to undertake the works and that needs to go to council for consent.

Council representative on the racecourse sub-committee, councillor Bill Grainger, says the funds are not coming from an unplanned council spend, and are instead from the committee's own fund.

He says the sub-committee is financially self-sufficient because of rents from tenants, the racing club and golf club.

'It's something that's really needed, and the $245,000 is out of their [the committee] own account,” says Bill.

'PowerCo next door dug a very large trench right up the middle of the access way a little while back. In compensation for that they gave us so much, which helped towards the refurbishing of the road and entranceway.

'It desperately needed to be done, and it's something that's been planned for a while.”

The tendering process has begun and construction is expected to start soon. Work was originally expected to begin last month, but there were delays in council.

A political requirement is that the racecourse committee will have to remain in effect during the election period, until the new council determines its governance structure.

'The council's known about this upgrade for a couple of years, then right at the death we struck this snag,” says racecourse committee chairman Brian Stamp.

'It won't be completed till well after Christmas, the whole thing, but we hope to have the road finished before Christmas.

'There are two stages involved. The first stage is the road up and alterations to the entranceway road, and some fencing and signage in the second stage.”

Councillors were told on Monday, the racecourse committee has signalled the upgrade requirement in its asset management plan since 2009.

Until the 1989 local government amalgamation the racecourse reserve was run by the Crown through the Lands and Survey Department and administered by a board that was elected every seven years.

After 1989 the reserves were managed by the city council, on behalf of the Department of Conservation.

The TCC appointed management committee comprises three city appointees - the chairman, treasurer and another member, plus an elected councillor. In addition, there are representatives from the racing club, the golf club and TESA - Tauranga Equestrian Sports Association.

'We have to run under the Reserves Act, and a TCC asset management plan approved by the Crown and council. We're doing for the council, who do it on behalf of the Crown,” says Brian.

'It's fairly involved, but it works very well. There's no burden on ratepayers or anything like that.”

The Racecourse will be one of the first items of business for the new council, which will have to approve the second stage.