Grants bring reaction

Press, 10 December 1982, Page 6

Grants bring reaction

The workings of the Christchurch Metropolitan Grants Committee drew a mixed reaction from Heathcote. County Council finance and administration committee members last evening. Cr R. Simcock said that he would like to see the grants committee, which is made up of constituent councils, “wiped out." Groups had come to accept that if they wanted money, they could go to the local council or to the Government for a handout. “We now have a lot of unemployed ratepayers who have a hard time paying their rates without subsidising other things,” he said. However, Cr O. T. Alpers said that it was all right for people who wanted to watch television, but played no sport. It would be a tough and sterile society if not for these organisations, which should be recognised. The committee chairman, Cr T. P. Wills, said that there was now a three-tier system with sports and recreation grants, each council’s own grants, and the Metropolitan Grants Committee. Cr Alpers said that many grants had a long established historical basis, and organisations depended on them. The ground could not be cut from under the feet of these organisations. After a lengthy discussion, councillors recommended

asking Waimairi District Council, which administers the grants committee, for a special meeting on the matter. The Heathcote County Council had received a letter from the Christchurch City Council asking that the grants committee consider establishing guidelines for the giving of grants. The guidelines suggested were that applications from metropolitan groups only be considered, that the committee’s constituent councils be encouraged to share grants more equally between cultural, social welfare, and recreational groups, that more sports and welfare groups be encouraged to apply for grants, and that constituent councils do research on applications before the grants committee met.