Fund objections groundless, says Cr Buck

Press, 2 July 1983, Page 9

Fund objections groundless, says Cr Buck

Criticism of a summer leisure programme has been rejected by a Christchurch City councillor, Miss Vicki Buck. City arts organisations have objected to the amount , of council money designated for the $125,000 budget of the seven-week programme. The management of the Christchurch Arts Centre, the Christchurch Festival, the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, and the Court Theatre are also worried about possible clashes with the Christchurch Festival in March, 1984. Cr Buck said yesterday that their objections seemed groundless. “I think the arts people are wrong in thinking that we are competing with them for funds,” she said. “There is no way that the two even go before the same organisation for funding.” Nor should the councilorganised summer programme conflict with the Christchurch Festival. “It is a totally different emphasis,” Cr Buck said. “You are not going to have an orchestra down at Queen Elizabeth II Park.” The council budget for the

summer programme was only $9050, an “amazingly modest” sum to encourage the use of parks, pools, and other council-run recreational facilities. The more they were used, the less ratepayer money had to be spent on their upkeep. Sponsorship and some grant money was expected to cover the rest of the $125,000 budget, most of which was labour costs. The Labour Department had already given approval for 11 temporary workers to be used under the Governmentfunded P.E.P. scheme. “This is at least providing employment,” she said. Some of the costs were also “oncers” such as $lO,OOO for a mobile stage that could be used after the programme ended. A draft proposal for the programme had suggested that the council set aside $20,000 and another $lO,OOO be sought under the Local Recreation and Community Development Scheme. The Christchurch Festival director, Mr Ray Sleeman, said Cr Buck could not know what was planned for the festival. The programme had not been released but it was for a

“new-look” festival involving the public more with events in parks, streets, and open places. Public confusion between the two programmes was inevitable. “It is happening already,” he said. Arts organisations were also concerned that the council was seeking $lO,OOO from the Local Recreation and Community Development Scheme, Government money which Mr Sleeman said was distributed through the City Council specifically to local organisations. “I do not know how ethical it is,” he said. “Ten thousand dollars is a lot more than anyone else will be getting.” Aplications for scheme grants did not close until July 15 and so it was not known what demands would be made on the money. The council’s recreation manager, Mr Alan Patterson, said the council’s application would be considered in the same way as all others. The grants committee which decided applications was made up of councillors and representatives of arts, welfare groups, and other organisations.