Christchurch City Council has committed a further $180,000 to provide more support for schools and targeted help for residents living near the wastewater plant in Bromley.
The new well-being response plan includes:
- Extended support for schools and early learning centres, including those in the Southshore and South New Brighton areas, so they can provide activities and events to help children and their families manage the effects of the odour.
- Discretionary funding to support people affected by the smell to access health and wellbeing supports.
- Acting Mayor Andrew Turner says the additional funds will enable the Council, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, to extend support to more schools in the area.
"Until now the support has been focused on schools and early childhood centres close to the plant, but we are now further extending our support to education providers in South New Brighton and Southshore,” said Acting Mayor Andrew Turner.
"The funding will also help develop a science education programme for schools, in partnership with the Ministry of Education.
"This will help students understand how the Christchurch wastewater treatment plant works, and how its operation was impacted by the fire.
"Another purpose of this new response plan is to remove any barriers that people might face in accessing health and wellbeing services.
“We will work closely with Pegasus Health’s partnership community workers to identify people whose health and wellbeing continues to be negatively affected by the wastewater treatment plant odours."
On May 30, council also approved a $1 million community support package to help, which included offering people who live within a set geographical area a one-off payment of $200.
The council today agreed to end those payments to in-zone applicants on August 12. More than 2600 households had received a $200 grant so far.
Out-of-zone applicants can email communitygrants@ccc.govt.nz until August 31 to be considered for a support payment.
