Grant funding for emergency equipment

The Patonga Beach Progress Association will receive a grant of $7400 from the Central Coast Regional Organisation of Councils, according to a recent report.

The council's disaster recovery funding assessment committee approved funding for the association.

However, the committee knocked back applications from Peninsula community group Penlink totalling $30,500.

The Patonga progress association said that $7400 in funding would provide the Patonga Emergency and Disaster Centre with "vital equipment" which would support the region in times of disaster.

The association stated: "Patonga experienced a disaster in 2005 when fires cut off the region.

"The storms again required the Patonga Emergency and Disaster Centre to activate and provide assistance to the region."

The committee noted that Patonga was difficult to access and that it could be "easily cut off during a disaster".

"The Patonga Beach Progress Association has provided effective support to the community in the past and the additional equipment will be an effective use of the fund."

The committee said the funding was supported by objective 4.3 which stated the funding should "support and resource community groups to undertake projects and provide activities to increase community preparedness and resilience for emergencies".

The committee rejected applications from the Penlink community group for grants of $1000 and $29,500.

Penlink had requested $1000 funding for the construction of a website "in order to further the aims of the organisation".

"The development and promotion of a Penlink website is seen as a vital stage in the development of our communications infrastructure which will enhance the organisation's presence and effectiveness in the community," according to its application.

The committee stated that it "did not feel that funding the website would greatly increase community preparedness and resilience for emergencies and therefore was not an efficient and effective use of fund monies".

Penlink also asked for $29,500 to host a community festival early in September 2008 to "celebrate community spirit, integration, and belonging".

It stated: "It is an opportunity to bring together in a holistic way, many of the great support services, community groups, cultural groups and emergency services to create a dialogue with the community and between groups.

"It would serve as smorgasboard of information, workshops, activities and entertainment that could involve the whole community and leave a tangible legacy of connections, understanding and hope."

The committee considered that the primary aim of the project was to support a festival that was intended to be conducted annually that was "not primarily focussed on a strategy or action that will lessen the social/health impacts of the storm on affected communities or individuals".

The committee stated that it was also concerned that funding the project may give the community false expectations that the festival would be funded each year.

It stated: "The committee also noted the cost of the project and that a substantial amount was to be used to employ an event coordinator.

"The committee did not feel that funding this project would greatly increase community preparedness and resilience for emergencies and therefore was not an efficient and effective use of funds."

Council agenda RO.003, 8 Jan 2007