At today’s Dunedin City Council meeting, councillors will consider an amendment allowing staff to assess and approve grants of up to $5000.
Last term, grants applications were assessed by a subcommittee of councillors and mana whenua, community, arts and specialist representatives, which was not reinstated when the council’s portfolio-based governance system was adopted earlier this month.
In their report to councillors, corporate planner Janet Fraser and manahautū (community and strategy general manager) Nicola Morand said as it stood, staff were able to make decisions on grants of $500 or less — anything over this amount was referred to a council or committee meeting.
However, waiting for meetings could heap time pressures on agendas and risk delays and uncertainty for applicants.
Staff recommendations were rarely overturned by councillors, the report said.
"Delegating responsibility for these decisions is considered administratively efficient."
High-value grants and rates relief would still need council approval.
In an open letter to Mayor Sophie Barker last week, six former subcommittee members said they would welcome more information on the future grants process and an opportunity to contribute to a new allocation system.
"This contestable funding, if resourced and administered well, is perhaps the quickest way for the council to enable transformational change for our communities," they said in the letter, shared by Ōtepoti Community Builders.
"We look forward to hearing how you will preserve and uplift community participation, the voices of mana whenua and embed practical steps that will keep people at the heart of every grant decision."
They also urged Ms Barker to continue work on the council’s ongoing grants review.
Group members are expected to speak to the changes during public forum today.
