The youngest member of Tauranga City's new council is eyeing a committee position to help drive growth and reinvigorate the city centre.
The 30-year-old, referred to by Tauranga's re-elected Mayor Stuart Crosby as ‘the baby' of the new, young blood of city council, was elected in the At-Large ward in this year's local body elections.
Matt Cowley is the youngest member of Tauranga City's new council.
Currently a senior policy analyst for Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Matt says he will be resigning from his position before being sworn into Tauranga City Council on October 30.
Matt's current job specialises in technical advice on complex policy issues and project management.
In the new Tauranga council, Matt's looking to get involved in a policy committee 'to drive projects”.
'There's a big overhaul that Stuart [Crosby's] going through, so I don't really want to be naming committees because I don't know what he's got in his head.
'People who got elected on their strong financial management; let them deal with the financial and audit committee, and put people with their best strengths up in different committees.”
Matt says he's looking forward to more progressive economic development events, as well as bringing life back into the CBD.
'Those projects and committee are really what I want to be hammering home.
'It's not necessarily around allocating funding, but it's about getting people together and building that momentum. I think past councils didn't have anyone really driving the CBD, bringing life back into it.”
Matt says he's open to working with the new Deputy Mayor.
'I don't think it will be me, but I'm quite happy to work on delivering projects.”
This week councillors had one-on-one meetings with the Mayor, before beginning a two-day workshop next week, to sketch out council structures and policies.
Newly elected and returning councillors are unable to officially act in their roles until sworn in.
The first council meeting is November 19, when councillors agree to their code of conduct, standing orders, governance structure; plus, how committees are constituted and what work they're allocated. A chairperson and deputy chair will also be appointed for each committee.
The first normal business council meeting is November 26.
7 comments
Congratulations and reservations
Posted on 18-10-2013 10:00 | By Councillorwatch
Firstly congratulations to Matt for having the integrity to resign from his regional council position before taking up his new position as a councillor. I'm glad he isn't a double dipper. But I do think it's unrealistic to think that revitalising the CBD will come without funding expectations. It will cost and cost plenty and I'd hate to think what has been spent on talkfests already? Also I just have to ask what exactly is technical advice on complex policy issues because it sounds like more of the same to me?
Long
Posted on 18-10-2013 11:40 | By nerak
may you hold to the aspiration, Matt! "'It's not necessarily around allocating funding, but it's about getting people together and building that momentum..."
CBD dying.
Posted on 18-10-2013 14:56 | By Gammelvindnz
Watching the CBD die by being bleed dry by previous councils has to be one of the biggest reasons we have an almost totally new council. I know my wife and I decided this year to only vote for new blood because of this and I guess others felt similar and voted accordingly. Apart from the reastaurants on the Strand the rest of the CBD frankly is unworthy of spending time in especially now with parking fees on a saturday (what muppet came up with that as a good idea), at least finding a park is easy now because the place is empty. Please new council work on something that will make the CBD a worthy place to venture.
What does it look like?
Posted on 18-10-2013 17:39 | By Ted the Mechanic
Many people talk about reinvigorating the CBD. I'm interested to know when and what it was like when it was invigorated? Do we want to go back to those halcyon days? Or is there a new vision of invigoration? I'm just curious because I would like to see a plan or maybe a prospectus outlining the vision. Can anyone point me to any existing documents that describe it? I walked through Red Square 2 weeks ago and was surprised at the number of empty shops on the western side. Would the CBD be more vibrant if all the shops were occupied or do we need "sexier" shops? I love the waterfront redevelopment and really enjoy walking along there when the sun is shining - Hairy Maclary will be fabulous... more public art will surely help. What other "nice-to-haves" will deliver this much sought-after nirvana that so many pine for?
Confused and a touch bemused
Posted on 18-10-2013 17:56 | By Murray.Guy
I'm somewhat confused and a touch bemused by the comments of Matt, given his relationship with Priority One, associated organisations and individuals. Priority One have received many hundreds of thousands of rate dollars, plus, a ratepayer subsidized expert employee specifically tasked to ensure the CBD strategy is carried out. This is in addition to the work of the CBD working party and Strand Waterfront redevelopment. Matt, tell your friends at Priority One and Council to begin the revitalisation process by ensuring parking parity throughout our city. Toss your double dipping CBD on-street parking meters into the tip, then focus on the retail areas defined as Red Square to Elizabeth Street, Grey St to Devonport Rd with covered access ways and 'share with care' transport corridors. Good luck!
well said, Councillorwatch
Posted on 19-10-2013 06:22 | By southmark
"I just have to ask what exactly is technical advice on complex policy issues because it sounds like more of the same to me?" You've got it in one...
Get council OUT of CBD Matters
Posted on 22-10-2013 15:07 | By The Tomahawk Kid
You all seem to forget the fact that the CBD was CREATED, and INVIGORATED by PRIVATE BUSINESSES chosing to do business from there! It was NOT created by council - it was DESTROYED by council interference in private business matters, and the pillage of those businesses by council - high rates, parking nazis and their insistence on interfering in things that council do not need to interfere in. Have you ever noticed how VIBRANT the markets are in Tauranga? That is the result of ZERO council interference in private business matters. They do not need or require councillors to invigorate them - they are capable of doing it themselves.
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