Promotion body activities to be 'low key’

Press, 7 June 1980, Page 2

Promotion body activities to be 'low key’

The Canterbury Promotion Council says it now knows where it stands financially this year. While it will be able to run a fully staffed information centre, promotional activities will have to be “low key and largely selfsupporting,” according to the ■ council’s executive officer (Mr B. R. Dunstan). The reduction in promotional spending will result from a shortfall in the an-

ticipated income from local bodies. Mr Dunstan said the level of contributions to the council looked to be about the same as last year. Its income from local bodies would be about $53,000, compared with the $64,300 the council had budgeted for. The Promotion Council has been watching over the last two months to see how 21 Canterbury territorial local authorities' responded to a quest to contribute 20c per head of population. So far, 10 councils had approved grants totalling $50,000, six had declined to pay any grant, and five had yet to. make decisions,. said Mr Dunstan. Last year, 14 out of the 21 local bodies had contributed to the council, he said. Mr Dunstan blamed the decision of five councils to reduce their contributions from the requested 20c to 10c per head of population for the shortfall in income. Of the Christchurch metropolitan councils, Christchurch City approved the full amount, making one grant of $34,260, Waimairi and Paparua counties paid 12c and 10c per head respectively, and Heathcote County declined to contribute. Mr Dunstan and the Promotion Council’s chairman (Mr T. M. Inch) had visited several local bodies and would continue to meet others over the next two months to try to gain their financial support. Mr Dunstan said each of the local bodies was equally important, although the size of the grants sought from them varied considerably, as a show of “unity” within Canterbury. He said the biggest disappointment had been the refusal by the Rangiora Borough Council to meet him. ; ■