A plan to trial the first surf life saving service at Waipatiki Beach may not be able to raise the funds it needs to kick off next summer.
Hastings District Council's community grants committee could not approve the extra $52,000 Surf Life Saving New Zealand said it needed to set up the service at the popular beach north of Napier.
The committee met yesterday and recommended the matter go to the full council next week, when it sits to consider the funding request as part of the annual plan review.
The council had already ticked off $7000 for the trial, while Napier City Council had allocated $10,000. The committee was surprised Surf Life Saving New Zealand had returned with another request for $52,100 to set up and run the trial.
Committee member Sandra Hazelhurst said she supported the idea of a trial at the beach but was not comfortable spending another $52,100 of "Hastings ratepayer money" to set it up.