Civil Defence budget up

Press, 11 May 1979, Page 18

Civil Defence budget up

The Christchurch Civil Defence Committee will ask its seven contributing local bodies for $90,800 this year, $15,000 more than last year. Accounting for some of the increase are $5OOO for planned improvements to an operations basement at group headquarters in the M.E.D. building; $2OOO for emergency call-up devices for Civil Defence officers; $2OOO for plastic bibs to help the public identify Civil Defence field workers during ar. emergency: $lOOO for furniture for Miller’s building; and $2500 for vehicle replacement. A sum was also set aside by the committee yesterday for salary increases. The Civil Defence group controller (Mr P. G. Scoular) said the work at group headquarters should cost

• about $15,000. At present it was cold, wet, draughty, and • miserable, said the Civil • Defence officer (Mr D. J. ! Brunton). Heads of local support organisations had ] criticised conditions during ‘the last exercise. The committee decided! | that senior Civil Defence 'officers should prepare a report to help the inaugural : meeting of the Canterbury ; United Council appreciate ]the civil defence task the I council has to assume. The council will meet on July 25. Under the Local Government Act, 1974, and the ; Civil Defence Act the united council will "approve, re-1 view, and co-ordinate" local] civil defence plans. Territoi rial local authorities will I still “prepare, maintain, and , implement” local civil defence plans.