Waitakere lifeline for green lessons

A programme that teaches children about recycling and sustainability and how to grow their own food has been thrown a lifeline in West Auckland after the Government announced plans to cut its funding.

The Waitakere City Council will increase the amount it gives to the Enviroschools programme by $90,000 over two years for the 26 schools in its region that are involved in the scheme.

The national programme, which is jointly financed by the Government and councils, will lose some of this money from December because the Ministry of Education says it does not teach core skills such as literacy or numeracy.

The cut, worth $19 million over four years, will affect about 700 schools nationwide and could result in the loss of jobs for 20 programme facilitators and other Enviroschools staff at its headquarters in Hamilton.

Waitakere Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse said the council was concerned that without its support the programme would stop.

She was also anxious about its future under the proposed Super City.

"It's ironic that at a time when we have a government wanting Auckland councils to butt out of things not considered core council business, it is local government left to pick up the slack in this regard," she said.

"Obviously we hope the Government will see sense and reconsider its decision, but we want to ensure the programme's survival in the West for the next two years at least."

It is not know if other councils in Auckland will continue to put money into the programme.

Auckland Mayor John Banks said ratepayers and the city's spending proposals were already under pressure.

"If the Government doesn't see any merit in continuing the funding then why should our ratepayers?"

North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams rated the programme highly, said his council was yet to discuss the matter and had made no decisions on continued grants.

Manukau Mayor Len Brown could not be contacted.

Enviroschools Foundation national director Heidi Mardon said programme leaders were to meet Ministry of Education officials today to discuss funding until the end of the year.

She said there was "absolutely no way" the funding setback would end the programme.

"We are not just going to say 'oh well that's it' ... We believe they [the Government] have a role to play and we do believe it would benefit the Government to be involved."

Ms Mardon said it was ironic the programme was being promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Singapore, Brunei and Chile - which all wanted similar programmes developed in their countries.

The Enviroschools concept was developed in Waikato in the 1990s.

Schools using the programme have reported pupils coming up with ideas such as water-savers in toilets, a student-designed proposed fitness trail, raised vegetable gardens and litterless lunches where anything left over is taken home.