Selwyn Times: April 24, 2019

SELWYN TIMES Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Wednesday April 24 2019 5
News
School board says no financial issue
• By Anan Zaki
ELLESMERE COLLEGE says it
has cash reserves to navigate the
financial difficulties they are in.
Last week Selwyn Times
revealed school principal Ronan
Bass had emailed parents
informing them of its “difficult
financial position.”
Mr Bass said in the email
the school
is forecast
for a fourth
consecutive
year of deficit,
caused in part
by $78,000 in
unpaid course
Mark Maddren
fees and course
donations.
He said in
the email the school is at risk
of being placed under statutory
financial management, meaning
its finances would be managed
by external agents.
But school’s board of trustees
chairman Mark Maddren has
now told the Selwyn Times it has
“plenty” of cash reserves.
Two years ago the school had
cash reserves of $318,354.
When asked how much cash
reserves the school currently
has, Mr Maddren referred the
question to Mr Bass as it was a
“management” subject and not a
“governance” subject.
STILL SAFE: Ellesmere College board of trustees chairman Mark Maddren says the school has
cash reserves to overcome its current financial situation.
PHOTO: GEOFF SLOAN ​
Mr Bass would not answer
what the cash situation currently
was, saying: ‘‘I refer you to the
board chair’s response on our
school Facebook page regarding
this. The annual accounts are audited
independently before being
provided to the MOE (Ministry
of Education) in May and as such
has not yet been ratified and
submitted.’’
The school recorded deficits of
($70,579) in 2016 and ($17,170)
in 2017.
Mr Maddren also said the
school is “not in financial woe”
even though statutory financial
management could be a possibility
in the future.
“In the long term, if we carried
on with deficits then yes it would
be, but we’re not in financial woe
at the moment and we’re just
being prudent about moving
forward into the future,” Mr
Maddren said.
He also said the principal’s
email – which discussed the
school’s current financial situation
– did not mean it was in
financial woe.
“We’re just being frugal and
want the community to realise
that things are tight and we’re
doing things to stop that,” Mr
Maddren said.
Local
News
Now
Rolleston fireworks show to go ahead
Fire rages, homes at risk
Move for
Arthur’s Pass
visitor centre
THE DEPARTMENT of
Conservation has moved its
visitor centre services ahead of a
planned upgrade to the Arthur’s
Pass National Park Visitor
Centre later this year.
The temporary visitor centre
is located next to Arthur’s Pass
Motel and Lodge in the national
park village.
Work will start later this year
on the planned upgrade of the
Arthur’s Pass National Park
Visitor Centre to bring it up
to 100 per cent of the National
Building Standards.
“The upgraded visitor centre
will be an exciting opportunity
to help visitors and the local
community to connect with
conservation,” DOC operations
manager, Kingsley Timpson said.
DOC said it had been
planning a full upgrade of the
building for “some time”.
Following the 2010/2011
earthquakes, engineers certified
the building as safe for public
and staff use but with some areas
closed to access.
“Interim improvements were
made to the building at the time
with isolation walls added and
new beams inserted to ensure
staff and visitors were safe,” Mr
Timpson said.
•From page 1
The residents’ association was
previously unable to find new
organisers, but the situation
appeared to have changed after
last Tuesday’s meeting.
“We can confirm there will
be a Rolleston Fireworks 2019.
Discussions are ongoing with
council – we haven’t finished
our dialogue with council [for
the 2020 event and beyond],” Mr
Christensen said.
He would not provide further
details about this year’s event and
said more information will be
shared at a later time.
The district council said it
could not comment on the
fireworks until Friday, as the
person dealing with the fireworks
subcommittee is away.
Last month, district council
chief executive David Ward said
the fireworks display is not one of
its “core services.”
He said last month: “During
the summer months, council
already running a significant list
of community events across the
district, and to add the Rolleston
fireworks would simply be to
add to the exhaustive list,
and stretch our limited
resources.”
The district council staff are
due to provide a formal update
on its position on the fireworks
the next council meeting in
May.
GOING AHEAD: The annual
Rolleston Fireworks will
go ahead this year after
organisers met last Tuesday.
PHOTO: PETER WALKER ​
Join Corrections for a job you can be proud of.
Become a Corrections Offi cer, Probation Offi cer or Case Manager.
Find out more at careers.corrections.govt.nz
or call 0800 4FRONTLINE 0800 437 668