23 Jun 2021

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Christchurch City Council is investing more resources into community partnerships.

“During the public submissions on the Draft 2021-31 Long Term Plan a number of submitters expressed a desire for the Council to more closely partner with the community,’’ says Mayor Lianne Dalziel.

“As a Council we know that partnering with the community is the best way to achieve the outcomes we all want for our city and to prepare ourselves for the challenges that we will face in the future.

“In recognition of that, we have included more money in the 2021-31 Long Term Plan to support initiatives and programmes that involve community partnerships.’’

Funding of $350,000 a year, for three years, has been put in the budget for community partnerships aimed at building social capital, community capacity and collaboration in communities that require extra support. 

The same amount has been provided for an environment and climate change partnership fund that will be used to support community and interest groups undertaking projects that align with the Council’s climate change goals.

Also included in the 2021-31 Long Term Plan is:

  • An increase in money for the Biodiversity Fund. The Council will now have $400,000 a year available through the fund to support and encourage initiatives that protect and enhance indigenous biodiversity on private land.
  • $85,000 a year for three years to support the Papatipu Rūnanga Partnership and ongoing engagement with the Council.
  • $390,000 a year, for three to five years, for more urban parks rangers and partnership co-ordinators who can work with groups, schools and businesses that want to volunteer in parks by planting, maintaining and caring for their local greenspaces.

“We have had a parks partnership programme since 2018 which has resulted in tens of thousands of hours of community volunteering in our parks and reserves. We want to ensure that programme continues to grow and that we give people who want to help out a clear pathway for doing so,’’ the Mayor says.