The Papanui-Innes Community Board is contesting the reduced amount it is receiving in Christchurch City Council funding to allocate for spending in the community. And they have written to the mayor about the reduction to voice their concerns.
The 2017/18 funding amount of $402,860 that the Papanui-Innes Community Board has been allocated under the new funding formula adopted by the City Council has resulted in a reduction in the funding pool of $85,000 per annum, when compared to the 2016/17 year, board chair Ali Jones says.
Reduced funding will have an impact on community groups that rely on this funding to implement their projects or to help cover day-to-day running costs.
“Other boards, we understand, have suffered a similar reduction. It is entirely up to other boards whether they voice their position. However, the Papanui-Innes Community Board feels strongly enough about the reduction to write to the mayor and say so,” adds Jones.
In 2016/17 the community board allocated the $487,039 received towards Small Grants $55,000, Strengthening Communities Grants $238,918 and Discretionary Response Fund $73,121. Key Local Projects received $120,000.
In previous years, the Papanui-Shirley Community Board (which covered the whole of St Albans) received $490,000 (2015/16) and $238,918 (2014/15).
However, new ward boundaries came into operation in October 2016, part way through the council’s financial year. The 2017/18 year is the first year the funding has operated with the new community boards.
The Papanui-Innes Community Board covers a large part of St Albans, north of Canon St and east of Springfield Rd, as well as Papanui. Other parts of St Albans are represented by the Central-Heathcote-Linwood and the Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood community boards.
For example, Abberley Park comes under the Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood Community Board’s care along with properties west of Springfield Rd, while most of the area south of Canon St is included in the central ward.
The council map (https://ccc.govt.nz/the-council/how-the-council-works/elected-members/representation/) shows where the lines are drawn
