Arts-rate plan questioned

Press, 8 July 1976, Page 34

Arts-rate plan questioned

The Paparua County Coun-I cil is apprehensive about aspects of the draft bill to set ■ up a Christchurch Arts Cen-j tre Board with statutory rat- I ing towers. The acting chairman (Cr J. | Y. Pethig) said a letter hadt been written to the Arts Cen-' tre, putting the council’s p views before it. The letter pointed out that I ! the rating provisions of the; bill would provide an annual i revenue for the proposed board of $500,000. a sum greater than that needed to meet Town Hall costs. The council had only lim-; ited knowledge of the needs! of the cultural groups in-! volved. and could not be ex-1 pected to commit its ratepay-; ers for all time on the in-1 formation available. No supporting data had been given to show why such a large sum might be needed from the rate, and it was ridiculous to propose two council members on a board expecting so much revenue from local body sources.

The council’s letter said that much more information was needed on the structural state of the old University buildings used by the centre, and <>n their maintenance costs. The council asked the trust to call a meeting of the metropolitan councils, so that the proposals could be clarified. “The rate could be a colossal sum and we don't know how it will be spent.” said Cr J. S. Bisphan. “Where you are dealing with public money, you have got to be accountable. We should make it clear that we are not going along as it is.”