Kaka Point Surf Life Saving Club president Mark van Asperen presented the club’s concerns to Clutha District Council during public forum at the council’s meeting in Balclutha on Thursday.
Mr van Asperen said a funding shortfall of about $20,000 meant the club would not, at present, be able to provide a full roster of summer patrols at the busy tourist beach.
The club had requested the additional funding during the council annual plan submissions process recently, which councillors declined.
It will still receive a $25,000 grant from the council to cover general operating costs.
However, due to a shortfall in sufficiently senior trained lifeguards within the club itself, additional funding was required to transport and pay Dunedin lifeguards to provide summer cover for the extended patrols.
Mr van Asperen said he was not at the meeting to criticise council, but to illustrate the issues first-hand.
"For 20 years-plus the council has been very generous to the club and in supporting our local paid guards.
"Issues with Covid and the draw of other paid lifeguarding positions elsewhere, such as at the Cromwell water park, have meant we’ve had a bit of a shortfall of senior lifeguards within the club recently, coming to a head last season when, for the first time ever, we were sometimes unable to put out the flags.
"Without the ability to subsidise paid lifeguards from Dunedin this coming season, we estimate we’ll only be able to provide patrols for about half the days we would wish for public safety."
Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan praised the work of the club in keeping beachgoers safe, and asked whether anything could be done to ensure funding went to local lifeguards first.
Mr van Asperen said this would be a preference, although no such lifeguards existed at present, meaning help from outside the district was critical.
However, he believed the shortfall would be a temporary situation, as junior club membership was buoyant at present.
The council will consider its response to the club’s appeal during a future workshop.
