Councils
Invercargill City Council has helped out Stadium Southland after agreeing to allocate a one-off $300,000 grant to the Southland Indoor Leisure Centre Charitable Trust in the 2018/2019 financial year, and to undertake to work with the Trust to look at other ways of funding the shortfall in future.
What was proposed in the Consultation Document:
- Council’s preferred option was not to increase funding.
- The Southland Indoor Leisure Centre Charitable Trust had requested an increase of $300,000 to its annual grant from Council.
- A third option was also presented, where the grant would be increased by $150,000.
What submitters said:
- 53 per cent of submitters supported Council’s preferred option of not increasing the funding.
- 32 per cent supported increasing the funding by the full $300,000 per year as requested.
- 15 per cent supported increasing funding by $150,000 a year.
- Many submitters commented that Council does not own the facility, and that it is a regional facility which should be funded further by regional funders.
- Many submitters also said the Stadium has received a great deal more funding than arts and cultural facilities and it was time this was balanced.
- Submitters in support of increasing funding highlighted the importance of the Stadium as both a sporting facility and a community events centre and said events at the Stadium had a positive economic impact on the city.
What was approved by Council:
- To allocate a one-off $300,000 grant to the Trust in the 2018/2019 financial year, and to undertake to work with the Trust to look at other ways of funding the shortfall in future.
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