Council meeting on World Cup should not be held in secret

The Rugby World Cup should be an amazing event, something everyone can be a part of whether it be getting close to the three teams the Bay is hosting, or simply watching the games on television.
Details of exactly how Tau-ranga will capture the excitement are being finalised but it seems clear the city council will have to contribute towards the cost of hosting Samoa, Russia and Fiji.
But news yesterday that a key city council meeting on Monday to discuss the issue is set to be held in secret, with the public and media excluded, raises huge concerns over the openness of our council.
The request for confidentiality has come from World Cup officials.
The meeting agenda indicates the council is obliged to carry out certain contractual tasks as part of being a host city.
Councillor Murray Guy, one of the city's more outspoken councillors, has come out firing, saying the meeting should be open to everyone.
It is still possible this could happen if councillors agree on Monday.
But the fact it is earmarked as a secret meeting should ring alarm bells among ratepayers.
Any money needed to bankroll the city's role in the Rugby World Cup will almost certainly be funded by ratepayers and these people have an absolute right to know exactly what is going on.
Council matters are sometimes kept secret if there is an element of commercial sensitivity.
But in our view, there should be little room for secrecy when it comes to council affairs and if rugby officials want cities such as Tauranga to be part of the event they need to demonstrate good faith and not hide anything from those helping foot the bill.
Monday's meeting should be open to the public.
Related story: City's secret meeting on Rugby World Cup