West Otago bucked the trend of lower-than-usual grants issued by the Clutha District Council during annual planning last week.
Against a backdrop of mounting debt and financial austerity, the council reined in grant expenditure to less than half the $1.2 million total requested by community groups and other organisations this year.
The council met in Balclutha last week to make decisions regarding grant, infrastructure and other spending, and its revised fee schedule.
Despite the general air of frugality — and a few furrowed brows among councillors — the council appeared to be in generous mood when it came to West Otago townships Tapanui and Heriot.
Requests for West Otago groups and projects ranged from an additional $5000 for Heriot & Districts Community Centre, to a loan extension of about $38,000 for the West Otago Health Trust.
All four requests were granted in full.
West Otago Health Trust plans to expand the facility’s housing options, and acquired a hectare of land adjoining the existing Tapanui health centre earlier this year, thanks to a council loan paid for by a targeted rate.
The trust sought an extension to that loan to help pay for the land to be subdivided, and issued with separate title.
Heriot Domain Board received a $15,000 operational grant to help offset maintenance, insurance, electricity, heating and rates.
The town’s community centre also received a boost for operational costs, of $5000, bringing its annual grant to $13,852.53.
West Otago Community Centre received an operational boost of $15,443 to its annual grant, returning it to its previous level of $31,958.
Centre chairman Robert Kane said he was pleased to receive news of the increase, which would allow the "important" facility to pay its way as it continued with a significant upgrade and recently mooted integration with the adjoining public library.
"This is such an important facility for the wider West Otago community, and is used almost every night for activities, as well as for major events and as a back-up to our hospital and for Civil Defence," Mr Kane said.
"We’re about two-thirds of the way through our upgrade of the complex and have just made public a proposal to integrate the library within the centre, working with Clutha District Council.
"This is a very exciting project and comes at just the right time when we would be upgrading this part of the building anyway."
Funding for the project was yet to be confirmed, Mr Kane said.
