Events will fight for funds
NEARLY 20 community events across the region will soon have to fight for funding from the Toowoomba Regional Council, in a move one councillor said could hurt small towns.
Councillors voted at Wednesday’s meeting to move funding for 19 events, including Jacaranda Day at Goombungee and Clifton Country Week, to a competitive model over the next three years.
The council currently provides more than $35,000 to the events, with amounts ranging from $500 to $5000.
According to a report by community development officer Breanna McCarthy, the change was prompted after issues were raised around the transparency of organisers around an event’s goals and outcomes.
“For the past decade, council has guaranteed financial and in-kind support towards 19 events across 14 regional townships, with minimal acquittal or reporting expectation,” she wrote.
“Despite aiming to retain regional town identity, build community capacity and spirit, and acknowledge community leadership and service, a number of communities struggle to meet these objectives.
“The current format of support does not provide an equitable opportunity for all regional events, demonstrating perceived favouritism to specific events, potentially disadvantaging access to funding for the creation or sustainability of new or other existing events.”
Under the new format, all events would be moved to the Event Support Grant Program and be eligible for a share in $79,000.
But Carol Taylor, who was the only councillor to not support the motion, said she was concerned this would hurt smaller communities in the long run.
“I do not want to see community events put into a competitive tender,” she said.
“The events are there to engender a sense of community.
“What we’re saying is you’re only going to get assistance if it ticks all the boxes.
“I’ll die in the ditch for these communities, and they should be able to get some assistance from council without us putting it into a competitive round.”