Submitter
Submission id number: 964918
Submitter name:
Clare Cross
Organisation
Open Valley Urban Ecosanctuary (VUE)/ The Valley Project
Do you want to speak to Councillors at the hearings?
Yes
Supporting information
Submission
How are we doing? Is there anything you would like to tell us?
The Open VUE project is incredibly grateful for DCC's support. The DCC's support has enabled us to connect with residents and visitors in the Lindsay Creek Catchment as part of various projects including, habitat restoration, trapping, stream health (clean ups), biodiversity, social cohesion as well as ensure we have tools available and good promotion. Throughout Dunedin, the DCC is a great supporter of community groups and conservation efforts. We would strongly encourage the DCC to continue to support this kind of mahi into the future. Please take a look at the attached slideshow to see the value of the DCC's support in our community.
Additionally, we have been very humbled by the support and expertise of DCC staff members and contractors with our projects, in particular, Mel Lawless and Hagino Baker as part of the Parks team, Rebecca Cope and Owen Graham for Sports field, bookings and permits, Anika Jackson and her team with Delta, Catherine Bradley and the City Sanctuary Team, Jun Sugishita with Te Ao Tūroa and the community and events team, and the Stormwater team.
What other ideas should we be thinking about to include in future plans for our city?
Budgets and financial support for community and conservation projects will need to account for the high increase in inflation (7%), to ensure these groups and projects are not facing a reduction in support from the DCC. In particular, place based groups and institutions (like Tūhura Otago Museum), which rely on this support to continue their services (education and community programmes, research).
Ensuring funding is no longer contestable (i.e. is non-contestable), groups can focus more on the mahi that strengthens the community, rather than on funding applications.
Maintaining and strengthening the DCC staff teams and contractors that directly contribute to community projects, is incredibly important. Without their time, support and expertise, our projects would suffer as a result.