The New Year's Eve celebrations at Mount Maunganui's main beach have been axed after being deemed too costly and unsafe.
Mount Maunganui Photo: 123rf.com
A new report offered the options of keeping the council-run event at Main Beach and increase the police presence, or axe it and focus on family friendly events.
Stuart Crosby Photo: SUPPLIED
The event attracts thousands of young people, but the report said it was the riskiest event of the year in Mount Maunganui.
Last year the police noted an increase in serious offences, including sexual offending and assaults.
At a meeting this afternoon, the Tauranga City Council voted by seven votes to four to stop the event and introduce another for under 18s at the ASB Arena to meet demand.
Mayor Stuart Crosby said it was disappointing it had to come to that.
"The risk of more violence was increasing, from assault and sexual assaults. And as the event owner, Tauranga City Council had to rethink our direction and support. So we're actually going to invest more resources, over New Year's in particular, but not hold a specific staged event in Mt Maunganui."
Mr Crosby said there would still be a considerable police presence at the beach, even if an official event was canned.
He said canning the official event wouldn't have any major impact on the local economy.