Key decisions from today’s Council meeting

Christchurch City Council met today and made the following key decisions:

Nga Puna Wai Sports Hub consultation given green light
Residents and sporting groups from around the city are being asked to have a say on the proposal to develop a sports hub at Nga Puna Wai in southwest Christchurch.

Councillors today gave approval for the Christchurch City Council to proceed with a special consultative procedure, which will gather opinions and suggestions about the proposed sports hub from the widest possible range of people, from local residents and businesses to sporting groups. Nga Puna Wai proposes to combine facilities for a number of sporting disciplines including an athletics track, hockey turfs, indoor and outdoor tennis courts and sports fields. It is anticipated the consultation will run from October–December, with hearings being held before the end of the year and a final decision made in early 2015.

Funding for stadium seats
The Council will loan $2 million to the Christchurch Stadium Trust to purchase seating for the temporary AMI Stadium, securing its operation until 2022. The Council agreed to write off the balance of the loan once the Christchurch Stadium Trust returns 70 per cent of the funding.

Request to increase Accommodation Supplement
The Council will write to the Minister of Social Development to request that Christchurch’s Accommodation Supplement is brought in line with Auckland’s, in order to reflect the comparable rent levels. The Council will also write to the Ministers of Social Development and Canterbury Earthquake Recovery to request a re-evaluation of the Canterbury Earthquake Temporary Accommodation Service (CETAS) subsidy.

Lease extension for EPIC
The Council agreed to grant EPIC Christchurch Ltd a seven-year extension of its lease on land at 100 Manchester Street. The Council reserved the right to revisit the arrangement if EPIC unreasonably profits from the discounted lease rate designed to assist start-up businesses.

Council looks to support more creative industries
The Council requested that staff prepare a report which provides information on the implication of extending the Creative Industries Support Fund to also support projects outside the central city.

The Mayor and Councillors expressed their appreciation for the collaborative approach between funders, Central Government and Local Government, the wider Arts Community and their supporters, for their ongoing support of art in the city since the Canterbury Earthquake.

– Ends –

© Scoop Media