Reaction to grants allocation changes
"Problematic" changes to Dunedin’s grant allocation undermined trust between the council and the city’s arts community, Mayor Sophie Barker was told.
Community groups were left in the lurch by Ms Barker’s governance structure revealed in November, which did not include a subcommittee to assess and approve grants — a decision reversed by the Dunedin City Council last month.
Dismay over the initial structure is laid bare in emails released to the Otago Daily Times under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act.
In an email to Ms Barker on November 22, culture and arts portfolio lead Cr Christine Garey said she had received "strong feedback" from the community on the lack of clarity surrounding grants decision-making.
At a council meeting later that month, Ms Barker apologised for being unaware of a scheduled and later cancelled subcommittee meeting and the hundreds of applications it was to consider.
The cancellation blindsided charities and organisations with expectations of funding.
In the end, staff and councillors were temporarily delegated responsibility for grants — a stopgap that would have to do, Cr Garey said.
"However, it is problematic that council is making these decisions."
Last term’s subcommittee was comprised of councillors and mana whenua, community, arts and specialist representatives.
"Many of our elected arm have no experience of the grants process whatsoever and are coming into it cold," Cr Garey said.
"That we didn’t have a mechanism ready to go to make these decisions has been problematic for everyone — the community and our staff."
She said she appreciated decisions made urgently in the short-term, but the council needed to carefully consider its long-term decision-making.
She has said her approach aligned with her promise of fewer committees to "streamline" governance.
In reply, Cr Garey acknowledged the measures were temporary, but said decisions to date had repercussions.
"It has already undermined trust with the arts community."
In an email to council chief executive Sandy Graham on November 20, an arts community member, name redacted, said there was a "great deal of consternation" over the impact on Professional Theatre Fund applications, historically administered by the grants subcommittee.
"Especially since none of this has been conveyed to any applicants beyond my persistent inquiries," they said.
"Any further delay risks the viability of multiple projects and companies, at a time when Dunedin simply cannot afford the loss."
Councillors allocated the fund at a meeting on November 27.
An open letter to Ms Barker in November from six former subcommittee members welcomed more information on the future grants process and an opportunity to contribute.
"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.
Last month, councillors voted to 8-6 to reinstate a grants subcommittee — supporters saw it as a win for community input, while opponents felt it distanced elected members.
Cr Andrew Simms will chair the subcommittee and Cr Mandy Mayhem will serve as deputy.
