Clarification of aims wanted

Press, 25 May 1984, Page 5

Clarification of aims wanted

The Heathcote County Council will ask the Canterbury Development Corporation to clearly indicate how it hoped to achieve its objective. The council chairman, Mr O. T. Alpers, told a council meeting lasi evening that he and the committee clerk. Mr N. Chapman, had attended a presentation by the corporation but they had left still wondering what it was all about.

The objectives were reasonably defined but they did not explain how the corporation, with a staff of one, was going to go about achieving them, said Mr Alpers. Mr Alpers said that he had an open mind about the corporation and moved that a letter be sent to it.

“It seems to be getting a lot of support but all the statements in its favour seem to be generalised," he said. A Mr Alpers said tfiat be

did not wish to be negative but he felt the council should have more indication from the corporation. Port Hills Appeal The council should be showing support for the Port Hills Appeal in more tangible ways, said Cr M. J. Taylor. She said that she was not happy with a recommendation of the finance and administration committee in reply to a letter from the appeal seeking financial support. The committee had recommended that the appeal be advised that because of other commitments for reserves on the Port Hills, the council was not able to make a grant but supported the appeal and wished it everv success.

Cr Taylor said that tangible support would be giving a grant, having envei>pes and slips available ar the

concil offices for those people wishing to make a donation to the appeal, and displaying posters for the appeal.

Cr J. G. Laurenson said that he thought the council should give every support to the Mount Vernon appeal but it had done its financial part by buying Bowenvale. Cr Taylor moved that a decision be put aside until the estimates meeting when the council should consider giving a $5OO grant to the appeal. Mr Alpers agreed and said if the council was going to be tied financialy he could understand councillors saying that there was not enough money for a grant to the appeal. “In future we are going to need a massive amount of money to develop Bowenvale,"" said Cr R. Simcock. “Any money we have to spare should be spent there.” Cr Taylor said the council

was showing a negative attitude. The appeal was looking to other authorities further afield for funds and they also had their own reserves, she said. Council grants Mr Alpers reported to the council that he had attended a meering of mayors and chairmen, and some finance committee chairmen, to discuss the need for increased grants funding for the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. Sir Michael Fowler had been at the meeting representing the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council and he had prised Heathcote for the amount of grants it had given.

It had been almost embarrassing how Sir Michael had talked about "great little Heathcote” giving $1503 when others were backing off from giving

grants, said Mr Alpers. A council's reputation could be quite substantially enhanced by not taking a stingy approach to grants, he said. The amount of the over-all expenditure that went in grants could add a lot to the opinion of the public. P.E.P. schemes Mr Alpers also praised the P.E.P. programme which he said gave otherwise unemployed people a chance to prove themselves in jobs with local authorities. “some of them leave here with excellent references.” he said. During May, several P.E.P. workers were transferred to the permanent council staff. Estimates The council will discuss estimates at a speciah-meer-ing at the end of the Aon th.