Matt Cowley Tauranga City Councillor

There is no doubt that the Bay Oval is a great cricket ground. Players like coming here. It's a cheap destination for Sky TV to set up. Our weather is great, and the soil drains fast if it does rain.

Plus spectators are so close to the action, creating a fantastic atmosphere. A full small stadium is much better than a half-empty large stadium.

It's also an affordable way to promote the city to our top international tourist markets. Aussies and the English love coming here and spending money – more so than any other place in NZ according to government statistics below.

A cost benefit analysis suggests lights will benefit the city if Tauranga can secure more than 1.3 additional games after installing the nights in early-2019. That's in addition to the current two games we regularly hold during the summer season.

It's subject to the Civic Amenities Group being able to match the ratepayers' funding contribution during the next two years. This is a great example of a genuine private-public partnership working together for the benefit of the city.

The decision was part of Tauranga City Council's decisions to finalise next year's budget.

We initially presented the community with a draft budget proposing a 2.5 per cent rates increase and a total of $394 million net debt by June 2017. We finalised next year's budget keeping to a 2.5 per cent rates increase and $3 million less debt after considering public submissions.

These figures may not be final, as we may need to consider how the Government's policy on forcing councils to open up new land will affect our debt and operating costs. We'll have to wait and see.

Source: NZIER, based on MBIE data.

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

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