Matt Cowley Tauranga City Councillor

Imagine our children being able to enjoy the spoils of living in Tauranga while they work on high-paying projects based in Asia, Europe and elsewhere in the world. We can stop the brain-drain of our talented young people leaving Tauranga after high school by improving the city's access to technology.

Those who fear technology believe it creates barriers by reducing the human touch. But if technology is used correctly, it eliminates barriers by instantly connecting people anywhere in the world.

Technology can connect you with the officers processing your resource consent in real-time. It can tell you the exact time until the next bus arrives. With technology, you can tell us your great idea while walking your dog.

Local community groups and business sectors are working with council to start scoping Tauranga's digital future. The digital strategy will define council's role and how we will work alongside the business sector and broadband service providers to become a digital-friendly city.

The digital strategy is not about council entering into new areas of business. Instead, it enables council to do its business better by making your interactions with council easier, timelier, and by putting you in control.

The strategy is just beginning and you'll hear more about it during the 10 year plan (like the page on Facebook www.facebook.com/FutureCityTauranga).

Week in brief

There were no meetings this week as we're preparing to adopt the draft budget next week. We will also be prioritising our reviews of rules and bylaws during the next six months.

If you missed talking to us about the future of the phoenix car park in the Mount, then I encourage you to make a submission on the draft annual plan. The feedback so far is split 50/50 on keeping the car parks verses transforming the area into an inviting urban space for people.

The elected members are talking with visiting members of parliament to make them aware of Tauranga's key issues for the upcoming elections. I encourage you to do the same.

The tangata whenua standing committee met with the new council for the first time this term. We're focused on moving forward together as key milestones are reached – for example, when the treaty settlements are finalised and the 150 year Gate Pa commemorations are completed.

Councillor Bev Edlin and I are training to become qualified commissioners to make decisions under the resource management act.

We're waiting to see details of the potential resource consent for letting the Rena vessel lie on astrolabe reef. This way we'll reach an informed opinion on whether we'll support or oppose resource consent and any requirements on the company to mitigate any adverse effects.

Feel free to email me your thoughts (matt.cowley@tauranga.govt.nz), call/text me on 027 6989 548, and follow me at www.facebook.com/a.younger.voice.