Grant system criticised

Press, 19 August 1982, Page 4

Grant system criticised

Christchurch local bodies should consider changing their metropolitan grants committee so that it did not favour larger structured community organisations, said the Christchurch Youth and Community Workers Group this week. The ’ group is a subcommittee of the District Council of Social Services. •> A spokesman, Mr Michael Reid, said that the structure . and procedures of the metropolitan committee put smaller groups, often voluntary and informal, at a disadvantage. Unsuccessful groups were not given reasons for their applications being declined. “In fact, the lack of any clear criteria for decisionmaking by the committee means that an application must be a hit or miss affair,? said Mr Reid. “The lack of

feedback is compounded by the fact that the public are excluded from the meetings." This year, the metropolitan committee had recommended to individual councils that 71.37 per cent of their grants money should go to cultural activities, with 18 per cent to recreation programmes, and 10.63 per cent to welfare and community service groups. ‘ Mr Reid said that those figures showed that welfare and community service activities were being “sadly undervalued and overlooked.”

Groups concerned in community development had less access to resources than they needed and deserved. Mr Reid said that.it took too long between grant decisions and the actual funding of group activities, which made it difficult to plan those activities. .

“It is especially discriminating against informal com-, munity groups whose needs are often immediate, and which usually lack the paid staff to guarantee continuity,” he said. “To make the situation worse, contributions come in dribs and drabs. The Christchurch City. Council’s contribution is received almost 12 months after applications are made.”

Over all, Mr Reid, said, the City Council’s grants system included ' "a reasonable amount” of community participation. “We would like to see something similar for metropolitan grants,” he said.

It was “rather odd,” however, that the City Council used only Government money for its grants, while some councils matched their contributions with ratepayer funds.