Community groups call for funding assurances

Community groups have called on North Shore City Council to extend their funding lifelines now rather than take their chances during the Super City transition.

Groups seeking certainty for future include the North Shore Citizens Advice Bureau and the Michael King Writer's Studio Trust.

In a submission to the city council's draft city plan hearing, Citizens Advice Bureau secretary Beth Willmott said the group had two years left in its three-year contract with the council.

In view of the time until the Auckland Council was in place, the CAB wanted the council to extend its community investment scheme contract grants to 5 years.

"This is to ensure certainty of funding and sustainability of key community services over the transition period.

"This would be helpful at a time when thought and planning will be required to determine future spending priorities and equalisation of services across the region."

The contract grant is worth $165,000 a year to the CAB which has 140 trained volunteers, supported by part-time paid staff at five locations. It dealt with 47,000 client inquiries a year.

"Demand increases for services both as the population increases and as people grapple with the effects of economic downturn on their lives.

"For example, we received 25 per cent more client inquiries over financial difficulties in the period July 08-March 09, compared to the same period in each of the previous two years."

Council community services manager Loretta Burnett said the council could consider rolling contract grants for another year "to give some security to the not-for-profit sector during the Auckland governance transition".

She said council contract grants gave funding sources to community organisations not primarily funded by the state.

Wensley Willcox of the Michael King Writers' Studio Trust said it was seriously concerned about a lack of a clear commitment to continued funding for administration or even a continuation of current lease arrangements with the council.

Such a commitment might serve as an imperative for a restructured amalgamated city.

Bernard Stanley, of the Long Bay-Okura Great Park Society, said the council last year pledged $5 million toward purchasing part of a proposed housing subdivision at Long Bay for a public reserve.

"We seek assurance that existing commitments made by the present council will be honoured by the new administration if the purchase is not completed before the changeover," said Mr Stanley.

"We hold grave concerns as to the ability or facility for local interest groups ... being heard in the corridors of power in Queen St amid the clamour of vested interests for advancement of the CBD Big Picture."