Council trust will compete with community groups

You reported last week on the proposal for a city council-controlled Community Facilities Trust.

The timing of the call for submissions on this is unfortunate, being the period of the pre-Christmas rush and the holidays. With most community organisations, and the council itself, not meeting during this period, it presents a major difficulty for organisations who would want to meet and present a submission. It comes at a time when many organisations in the not-for-profit sector are struggling to meet their fundraising targets, because people are being urged to save rather than spend and because in difficult economic times, charitable giving and income from gaming is down.

It's clear the proposal will be supported in significant numbers by sports organisations, which will be the major beneficiaries of this initiative. However it presents major difficulties for arts, cultural and social groups throughout the city. These organisations depend on grants from the likes of gaming and charitable trusts. Taking $3.5 million from this pool, as the council proposal seeks to do, will have major negative financial implications for many of these groups.

There can be no doubt that improvements like the Fraser Park Sports Zone, the Walter Nash Stadium and the Taita Sports Centre and Huia Pool Learners Pool are facilities which are needed - but are what rates are supposed to provide? It is difficult to see that a council with an annual income of $100m cannot afford $3.5m to upgrade its own assets and that it must instead take the money from community organisations as the proposal appears to want to do.

Name withheld, with agreement of the editor

- Hutt News

Newest First

Oldest First