Community meets council at forum

From toy libraries to tree-planting days, women’s refuge to a local employment trust – many of the initiatives that make our city a better place are examples of Community Led Development (CLD).

Nelson’s community sector is holding a forum to find out what the City Council sees as its role in CLD, and how recent amendments to the Local Government Act may affect council support for community projects.

The Community and Whanau network has joined forces with the Community Workers Training and Support Trust (CWTAS) to organise the forum, with a panel made up of Mayor Aldo Miccio, Crs Pete Rainey & Ian Barker, Pat Webster (CWTAS) and Penny Molnar (Victory Community Centre), with former mayor and Conservation Minister Philip Woollaston in the chair.

Pat Webster from CWTAS says there is growing interest in the concept of CLD.

“When people think of council services, they often just think of roads, sewerage and water supply - but we need to look after the human infrastructure too,” she says. “Council has an important role to play in supporting the community organisations and neighbourhood groups at the heart of making our city a good place to live.” 

Pat says working with the community may be challenging for councils, but it can be done if staff are allowed some flexibility and with ‘champions’ of community development inside the system.

“There is a lot of focus on councils cutting spending and many small activities are under threat,” she says. “But some of the work that makes our city a good place to live can be made easier for council by working closely with community driven organisations – not doing it for them or dictating what they will do, but working alongside them to encourage and support.”

Pat says another concern is that Government is trying to dictate what councils do.

“We want to be assured that our voices are being heard and our local activities are being treated seriously. We want to know where community activity fits into council’s core business.”

The Community Led Development Forum is on Thursday 13 June at 12 noon to 1.30pm, including a shared finger food lunch upstairs at the Salvation Army rooms, Rutherford Street. Anyone interested is welcome to attend. Please RSVP for catering purposes to jane@nelsonmedia.co.nz

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