2011-2012 Annual Report - Full Version - PDF - Palmerston North ...

Activity - Community DevelopmentWhat the Council doesThe Council provides a range of communitydevelopment services to help community groups,neighbourhoods and communities in PalmerstonNorth meet their needs.These services include funding, rental subsidiesand rates remissions for community groups,training, interagency collaboration, advocacy,support, and information and advice.Decisions on which groups receive Council fundingare made through the Council’s CommunityFunding Policy. The Council reviews which groupsit funds every three years to make sure it is fundingcurrent community priorities. This may change theareas or groups that the Council funds, but is notexpected to change the total amount of fundingthat Council gives.The Council liaises with community groups andgovernment agencies to ensure that their effortsare coordinated and effective. The Council alsoprovides community centres around PalmerstonNorth. These provide meeting spaces and a focalpoint for local communities and groups.The Council funds a range of community events,through its Events and Festivals Strategy, forpeople to celebrate their culture and the placein which they live. The diversity of communitiesexisting in Palmerston North, whether based onarts, education, sport or ethnicity, is reflected in avariety of events and festivals.Why the Council does this and itscontribution to Council vision andmajor goalsThis Activity makes a major contribution tothe Council’s goal of people wanting to live inPalmerston North, especially because of its safeand easy lifestyle and its many social, culturaland recreational opportunities. People like livingin a city where they feel that they are part of acommunity and can participate in communitylife. They want to live in a city that has a strongcommunity sector so that people in need can besupported.The Council helps provide events for two reasons.The first is to strengthen the local communitythrough celebrations and opportunities to growcommunity networks. These events are critical tohow people feel about the City. They are fundedthrough the Community Development Activity.The second reason for events is to grow thenumber of local jobs by increasing visitor numbersand to promote the City. These events also makePalmerston North a more attractive place to work,live and learn. These events are funded throughthe Economic Development Activity.What happened in the yearThe organisations contracted by the Councilcontinue to provide a wide range of services to thecommunity. Contracted organisations include,amongst others, Manline, Manawatu Multi-CulturalCouncil, Youth One Stop Shop, SafeCity Hosts,Environment Network Manawatu, PalmerstonNorth Community Services Council, Age Concern.The Council helps provide events fortwo reasons. The first is to strengthenthe local community throughcelebrations and opportunities togrow community networks. Theseevents are critical to how peoplefeel about the City.Community House has been fully tenanted andoperational for the last 12 months. The groupshave all settled into the house, are networkingand developing strong working relationships. Themeeting rooms at Community House are beingwell used, with many organisations and groupsfrom around the City availing themselves of thesemeeting spaces.The completion of Community House and itsongoing development into the future has beenmade possible by the generous support of anumber of funding organisations, from LotteryCommunity Facilities Fund ($527,275), CentralEnergy Trust, Eastern and Central Community Trust,Endeavour Community Trust, Lion Foundation,Pub Charity and Pelorus Trust. The ongoingsupport and commitment of these funders andtheir agreement to accept applications from theCouncil for the completion of the fitout, so thatindividual groups did not have to apply, showeda real understanding and commitment to thecommunity from them. Central Energy Trust hasrecently assisted further with funding to enablethe purchase of presentation technology forCommunity House.CommunitySupportWhat the Council Does Community DevelopmentPalmerston North City Council Annual Report 2011/1249