County to hold funds on recreation

Press, 8 April 1987, Page 9

County to hold funds on recreation

Recreational and library services in Paparua County may not get increased funding from the County Council this financial year. The council voted to try to hold funding for the library, swimming pools, reserves and recreation facilities at last year’s levels. The decision follows on a request by the council’s rural district body asking the council to keep funding at 1986-87 levels. People in the rural districts were going through hard times, said one councillor. Cr Jim Baker said rural people felt “neglected” and the council

could help them by keeping this year’s rate demands down. Cr Rupert Pearce said many ratepayers in rural Paparua did not use the library and other recreational amenities. These services were used by urban people. Rural ratepayers’ funds should be stabilised so that the council could provide some of the things rural people wanted, he said. Cr James Kyle said the rural ratepayer wanted a shingle road sealed rather than a swimming pool to use. “If we want to do something constructive with

our money we have to find what our priorities are.

"There is no way we are going to get a drop in rates. What we have to do is redefine our priorities,” Cr Kyle said. An urban riding councillor said there had always been a division between rural and urban districts.

Cr Dennis Cunningham said he believed that rather than fighting, the two factions should come into balance.

The council decided to do its best to hold grants to the recreational services and the library.