Matt Cowley Tauranga City Councillor

What an incredible year 2015 has been. Tauranga has punched above its weight in many areas, but the year hasn't been without a few regrettable moments.

My favourite highlights from council chambers include starting projects that have taken up to 20 years to get over the line. This includes the Greerton Library, the Marine Precinct, and starting key roading projects in the Papamoa area.

Council was able to retire $100 million of its debt this year. This is attributed to the city's property boom paying back the lead infrastructure council has installed. But it's also through well-balanced property sales, including the Zespri site and Route K Toll Road.

I'm also pleased council completed big reviews of our approaches to stormwater, economic development, and how we will operate in a growingly digital world.

Unfortunate lows for the city include the amount of preventable deaths that occurred on our roads and waterways.

Tauranga has had a bumper year, but unfortunately the highs have not been experienced by everyone. Please look after each other in our slice of paradise this summer!

Next year will be another big year. Council's new office building will be a key issue, along with many other pressures the city is facing.

The elected members have a lot of work to do before we can even think about campaigning for next year's local body elections in October 2016 – we may even have a new mayor this time next year!

Thank you to everyone who has shared their views with council this year. Thank you for helping make this city the best we can be.

Have a fun, relaxing and safe summer break. We're looking forward to hearing from you next year.

Feel free to email me your thoughts at matt.cowley@tauranga.govt.nz, call/text me on 0276989548, and follow me at www.facebook.com/a.younger.voice.