The merits of whether Cromwell was getting value from spending $40,000 of ratepayers' money on the wages of the district promotions group's only paid employee was debated by community leaders yesterday.
The Cromwell Community Board considered applications from 14 different organisations seeking a share of the $103,000 set aside for promotions funding in the coming financial year.
The groups sought a total of $178,000, but the board allocated just over $103,000.
The Cromwell and Districts Promotion Group sought $100,000 in funding.
Secretary Terry Emmitt said the board should have every confidence in the make-up of this year's management committee and its commitment to ''make things happen'' for Cromwell.
A team of volunteers devoted about 1700 voluntary hours every year to the group's activities, he said.
His role as secretary has been a paid one, but the group's constitution would soon be altered ''to accommodate some board directives'', so the secretarial role would be voted on at the annual meeting, Mr Emmitt said in the group's application.
A paid role of general manager-promotions officer would then be created.
''I can't see the justification in spending the ratepayers money this way. We have to justify every dollar and make sure we get value for every dollar,'' board member and district councillor Shirley Calvert said.
Board chairman and deputy mayor Neil Gillespie said the paid role was ''paying someone to do the work the volunteers don't do''.
He said removing the grant would be setting the promotions group up to fail and asked why members had approved other grants to the group yesterday if they believed they were not getting value for money.
If the group walked away from its promotional activities, the board would be expected to pick up that role.
''Maybe you haven't been around the past 12-15 years to see this group and its hard work and see what time and effort goes in by the volunteers base. Yes, it has a paid base as well, and I believe it's good value for money,'' Cr Gillespie said.
Board member and district councillor Nigel McKinlay said the group should have to demonstrate value for money but it was hard to judge that when the group sought bulk funding.
''My concerns are about the lack of accountability,'' he said. Board member Tom Pinckney agreed with the questions about whether the board was getting value for money but believed if a change was made now ''there's a big risk we'll throw the baby out with the bath water''.
The board decided to allow $30,000 and up to $40,000 for the job if the promotions group could demonstrate the role would deliver value for that amount.
The group also received a total of $46,700 for other events it would organise.
Earlier in the meeting, the board went into private to discuss a matter connected with the promotions group.
