United Council considers paid lifeguards

Press, 28 October 1982, Page 3

United Council considers paid lifeguards

The Canterbury United Council will study the feasibility of providing a paid lifeguard scheme for Christchurch beaches after this summer’s swimming season. Because the Government s Student Community Service programme has bee’n stopped this year, there is not enough money to pay lifeguards at 10’ beaches' from Waikuku to Taylors Mistake. For many years before the student scheme was started in 1978. the Christchurch CityCouncil, Waimairi District Council, and Rangiora District Council funded the scheme, but their normal grants this year would pay

for only five lifeguards. The ’City Council has already agreed to increase its grant from $4830 to $10,416 this summer, but it wants help from other local bodies that have not contributed in the past. The total beach patrol cost for one season is about $25,000. When the Government scheme was stopped, the Canterbury Surf Lifesaving Association approached local bodies for a supplementary grant. The United Council studywill consider whether the regional body should accept financial responsibility for the lifeguard scheme.