Te Puke Community Board helps local groups and clubs

Te Puke Community Board is to look at some new designs for street flags in the town.

There was the unusual situation of four of the six people sitting at the table having to declare an interest in discussion around a grant application at last week's Te Puke Community Board meeting.

One of four grant applications heard by the board was from the Made in Te Puke Trust.

Only chairman Richard Crawford and councillor Grant Dally didn't declare an interest.

The application was for $1000 to operate community events to the benefit of the district.
Grant moved that the application was approved while Richard seconded the motion.

It was one of four grant applications considered by the board, although one was found to be incomplete so was no decision was taken.

House of Science applied for $2000 to provide science and robotics kits to Western Bay of Plenty schools. House of Science supplies kits to four Te Puke schools.

Dally said he was concerned that the trust, which covers a much larger area than the Te Puke district, made a lot of applications for funding to various funding sources and that the grant wouldn't necessarily benefit the Te Puke area.

''But as long as the board feels there is value to Te Puke schools then I will support it, but in some ways it is a regional organisation,'' he said.

Councillor Monique Lints said her son attends Fairhaven School where the kits are used.

She said she was happy to go along with the application, but would like to see the trust also apply for funding from other community boards.

The board decided to make a grant of half the amount applied for.

The final grant application was from Te Puke War Memorial Hall Society for $2104.60 for 20 trestle tables and 50 foldable outdoor chairs.

The board heard that the society had received $7500 from the Western Bay of Plenty District Council's Covid Relief Fund.

The board decided to approve a grant of half the amount applied for.
**
Last week's Te Puke Community Board meeting was the first of the board that was elected last year to include a representative from Te Puke High School.

Paul Taylor is one of four high school students who have expressed an interest in being involved in the board and he was the first to attend a meeting.

While the students will have speaking rights, they will not have a vote.

Chairman Richard Crawford said the initiative was part of the board's commitment to engage with the community.

''If we are to fairly represent our community we need the voice of youth,'' he said.

''We want to engage with you as a board and we will be committed to listening to you.''

When appropriate the students will also be invited to the board's workshops.
**
Te Puke Cricket Club has been given the money to allow it to install the required fire
alarm in association with recent renovation's to its building at Te Puke Domain.

The community board has agree to make up to $5000 available for the alarm.

In his report to the meeting Dally noted that the refurbishment had had a cost overrun of around $60,000.

Crawford, in his chairman's report, recommended that the board provide funding for the provision of the fire alarm.

He said at the meeting that in the past the board had supported other sporting clubs, noting the money given to Te Puke Sports to help with the cost of a new grandstand. He said he didn't feel approving the recommendation would set a precedent.

''This will help [the cricket club] because they have had a shortfall,'' he said. ''It's not a doorway for every sports club to come [to us for money] and we would assess [any others] on their merits anyway.''
**
The community board agreed to set aside up to $4000 for a new set of street flags for installation along Jellicoe St. The design of the flags is to be discussed at a workshop.