Survey shows pensioner housing needed in Lincoln

Press, 30 June 1983, Page 13

Survey shows pensioner housing needed in Lincoln

A survey on the need for housing for the elderly in the Lincoln area has concluded that the building of a village for them is an essential community project. The survey, presented to the Ellesmere County Council this week, was organised by the Lincoln and districts Community Care Association’s board of management. Funding for one staff member for 3% months was provided by the North Canterbury Hospital Board’s Community Projects. The County Clerk, Mr G. R. Singleton, said the report was “rather well compiled.” While agreeing with Mr Singleton, Or J. S. Free said that the report was "unintentionally biased.” If the council were to put up a lot of houses, they would remain empty. “The survey will not be in line with the actual facts of it,” Cr Free said. “But they have proved to us that there is a need in the area.” Cr F. H. Eggleston said that Lincoln Rotary was to call a public meeting of interested parties to discuss housing. Mr Singleton said that he did not think the association had fully appreciatted that there were three other local authorities interested in the area, not just the Ellesmere County Council. “I just query that the other local bodies would put money into something that is in Lincoln,” he said. The County Chairman, Mr W. E. Walker, said that the biggest problem for the council was that it had no land on which to build a pensioner village. “While I believe there is a need (for pensioner housing), we have not yet got the true picture,” Cr L. W. J. Woods said. The council resolved to hold over any decision on the survey until more information is available on Leeston and a county policy can be formed. “Roadshow” The council had decided to make a grant of $lOO each to Ellesmere College and Lincoln High School towards tranport costs for pupils to attend the 1983 ’‘Roadshow." Two years ago the council made a similar grant to Ellesmere College only. The council has also resolved to consider a similar grant when compiling the estimates in future years to help pupils from the schools to attend the show. “Having read the Ministry of Tranpsort report I think we have got to do something to educate the young,” Cr N. A. Osborne said. The report to the council from the Ministry of Transport for April referred to problems with young people in the community. In late April, two traffic officers carried out an enforcement blitz after receiving complaints about the

driving of young people. ’■> “It is alarming to learn that both officers were assaulted and had parts of their clothing tom and that a patrol car was badly damaged when two other officers were answering a call to the assistance of both traffic officers ...” the report said. It said that further blitzes would be considered by the Ministry to try to stop the problem. Fire service The council will take formal steps to find what is happening about the takeover of the Dunsandel Fire Unit by the New Zealand Fire Service Commission. Telephone and insurance accounts from the fire unit forwarded to the Fire Service have been returned with a letter saying that the Fire Service will not accept responsibility for the accounts until it is advised by the commission that the unit has been taken over. Mr Singleton said that about 2¥z years ago the council had been required to do some modifications at the unit, and these modifications were completed. Late last year a copy of the proposed lease of the unit was sent to the Fire Service in Christchurch for its comments. “They have still not been received,” he said. Mr Singleton said he believed the proposed lease had been forwarded to the Ministry of Works and Development, but in the meantime the council was still paying all the bills. “As far as we are concerned the transfer should have taken place on April 1,” he said. The modification work had been very slow, Mr Singleton said, but the council had been trying to do it as cheaply as possible, using P.E.P. labour. Rolleston land Crown land at Rolleston would possibly be sold in September, the council was told in a letter from the Lands and Survey Department. No preference would be given to existing tenants, the letter advised councillors. The tenants would be given two months notice before the auction and a further monh before vacant possession was required, the department said. Properties with houses on would be sold first, with a separate, later auction of the remaining land. “We might get somewhere now,” Cr Walker said. “Some of them (the tenants) have been expecting rather much. We need to get a bona fide owner,” he said. Rakaia River Crs P. J. Abbott, D. H. Goulden, K. R. Taylor, and

Osborne will attend a meeting on the national water conservation order at the Christchurch Civic Offices tomorrow. i The council was invited to 'send representatives to the meeting in a letter from the Canterbury United Council. The C.U.C. advised Ellesmere councillors that it considered the application should be considered on a national basis. Malvern meeting Neither the Malvern nor Ellesmere councils could see any advantage in the two councils amalgamating under present circumstances, Cr Walker said. After a meeting between the country chaimen, deputy chairmen, and staff members it was agreed that the

development of joint services could be discussed in more detail as these issues came up. Cr Walker said this could cover services such as computers or specialised plant. Cemeteries The problem of dwindling cemetery space, what the council is to do with human ashes, and regulations concerning headstones will all come under the scrutiny of a council sub committee which will meet next month. “We have to decide what to do with ashes,” Cr Free said. “We do not want ashes in Christchurch, we want them in the district.” Cr Goulden said there were only eight places left in the Presbyterian section of the Leeston cemetery.