Tauranga City councillors start their working year next month with the first City Transformation Committee meeting, where they face the task of finding answers to the immediate questions about the civic heart project.

'We have got to find the money,” says Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless.

'It's all very well to have a good list of things that need doing, but we have got to work through the budget as well.”

They will be especially focusing on alternative funding, because the project is not affordable on rates alone, says Greg.

'Like everything, we have a lot of people with a lot of different opinions both on council and in the community as well.

'Some want to do absolutely everything and forget about the cost – and some others say they don't want to do anything at all. Somewhere we have got to find the happy medium and do what's right.

'I'm not here for a spend-up fest, but I am here to try and get things done and the only way to do that is through achieving efficiencies – and also seeing the best way to do things.

'If you are going to build a building maybe that building can be used not just for the council and whatever else. Maybe it can have apartments – any way to reduce the costs for the ratepayer.”

All options are still open, says Greg. The last council reached the decision in principle that it would lease rather than own a new administration building, but even that is up for grabs.

The wish-list is large, including a museum, indoor events centre and new library – in addition to the new council administration building.

'And you have got the people who want a museum. You have got the people who are opposed to a museum. You have got the people who want a sports thing, and the people opposed to that.

'Some people want some and not the other because it doesn't interest them. So that's the big balancing act we have got to get into that's for sure.”

The main background factor affecting the decision-making process is the city's ongoing high growth rate, and the fact the Tauranga Housing Accord has been re-signed, which means TCC also has to find money to pay for the services that go into new housing developments – roading, water, stormwater and sewers.

'Everybody thinks with growth you get more money. You don't actually, growth seems to cost,” says Greg.