Cressida Bishop is the only full-timer at the new art gallery which opened last month. Photo: Supplied/Anthony Phelps
A new art gallery in a "world-class" building in Marlborough can't open full-time because it is the "worst funded public art gallery in our country".
Marlborough Art Gallery Trust chairperson Rick Wilson made the bold claim at annual plan hearings this week, adding the new art gallery, in the $20m library building, was open "way below" what it should be.
"We've got people coming in and saying 'why can't we go into the art gallery today? It's crazy."
The gallery, which relocated from the Millennium Public Art Gallery on High St, employed one full-timer, director Cressida Bishop, and two part-timers. It also relied on volunteers.
The new location was double in size, with visitor numbers projected to increase from 18,000 a year, to more than 30,000.
The annual plan submission said the gallery was open 10.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday, and 1-4pm on weekends. Although a sign at the library said it was closed on Mondays.
Wilson's submission said they wanted to match opening hours at the library, to seven days a week.
To do so, they requested an increase in its operating costs grant by $60,000 a year, funding for extra staff of $120,000 a year, and up to $50,000 a year for storage and maintenance of the "Marlborough Collection".
Currently, the council gave the gallery up to $160,500 a year, with the balance met by donations, grants and fundraisers.
"We have an exceptionally talented woman here [Cressida] but she needs the capability of two, three, four FTEs to support that," Wilson said.
"There are security issues here, there are valuable works in the building. We need to be able to protect that.
"Councillor [Gerald] Hope popped in the other day and made mention that Cressida is seemingly at work all the time. That is because she has no choice.
"If you look at galleries around New Zealand, we are the worst funded public art gallery in our country, and that's not acceptable to me."
Community halls and groups
As first-term councillor Ben Minehan put it, many of the region's community halls, owned by the council, need work.
The Ward Town Hall, built in 1912, reopened in 2021 after it was damaged in the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake. Flaxbourne Settlers' Association member John Hickman told councillors despite the refurb, the roof and windows leaked, and the hall had "serious" moisture issues.
Renwick School pupils Dylan Martin, 12, (left) and Clara Watt, 12, with Marlborough mayor Nadine Taylor after speaking to councillors at the annual plan hearings. Photo: Marlborough District Council/Supplied
The Flaxbourne Settlers Association also requested an increase in the council's annual grant which was used to fund services on behalf of the council - like cleaning the public toilets and cemetery maintenance. It received $27,500 a year, but had been running at a deficit, with its accounts $29,000 in the red.
The exterior of the Tua Marina-Waikakaho Community Memorial Hall had asbestos, rot evident on its cladding, a sagging ceiling, and the building lacked "meaningful heating". Costs for this were estimated between $450,000 to $500,000.
The Spring Creek Hall had frames around its windows "so rotten" its glass was about to fall out. Replacement had been quoted at $6000, with $5000 requested from the council.
The Wairau Valley Hall and the Wantworth Room needed its parking area resurfaced due to flooding concerns. It received two significantly different quotes for this, one being $30,000, another $60,000.
A submission on the Waitaria Bay Settlers' Hall said its roof also leaked, and the kitchen facilities were "unhygienic". Quotes supplied showed the kitchen would cost $35,000 and the roof, $80,000.
The round of applause moment
Renwick School pupils Clara Watt and Dylan Martin, 12, called for the council to bring back the Renwick recycling container, until the roll-out of kerbside collection, after it was removed in 2019 following a spate of illegal dumping.
They conducted a survey which found 24 percent stopped recycling all together following the removal.
It meant Renwick locals had to travel more than 340,000km per year, nearly "equivalent to driving to the moon", or eight times around the world, to get rid of their recycling, releasing a "crazy" amount of carbon emissions.
Clara said they discovered 67,000 carbon dioxide emissions were going into the air each year as a result.
"It is the equivalent weight of 11 elephants, or approximately 2000 kids. Imagine 2000 12-year-olds floating around in the air."
Health and Safety
Wairau Hospital charge nurse Simon Langford spoke to abuse staff at Wairau Hospital had to deal with because of intoxicated patients. It was part of a wider submission from the Marlborough Alcohol Governance Group calling for the council to develop a Local Alcohol Policy.
Langford said these patients' needs were often time intensive, and preventable, and the hospital would benefit if they could reduce admissions from alcohol-related harm.
The Ward Town Hall reopened following refurbishments in 2021. Its roof is leaking. Photo: Stuff
Crossroads Charitable Trust manager Janine Sadd requested $15,000 from the council annually, about 8 percent of their running costs as the organisation was operating at a near deficit.
She said they were seeing an increase in rough sleepers. Attendance at their community dinner had doubled.
Abbeyfield Marlborough, a group looking to bring flat-share style housing for elderly in Marlborough, asked the council to consider land at a reserve on Kingwell Dr.
Riverlands School principal Bradley Roberts asked the council to help fund a kea crossing on Alabama Rd, at a cost of $10,000. Materials were already available.
"Everyday we send staff members down there to make it safer, and everyday we have near misses," he said.
The Thursday Recreation Mountain Bikers asked for $9500 for materials to add bike cattle stops at the farm park, with 23 already built.
Pelorus Rugby Football Club secretary Melanie Cherry asked the council to consider adding a car park in Havelock, after parking decreased following a $1.1 million Neil St upgrade.
Marlborough Stadium Trust chair Mathew Kerr told councillors the trust's grant from the council, at $39,000 for the stadium and $800,000 for the aquatic centre, had not changed since 2012. The council's contribution was 22 percent of total revenue, and the stadium wanted this adjusted year-on-year to match inflation.
The "reality" was the stadium was getting older and required more attention, Kerr said.
Deputy mayor David Croad asked when the trust last reviewed its charges.
Kerr said they did this annually, particularly for commercial income streams like the gym, but one of the goals of the trust was to keep the facility accessible to everyone.
Environment
In just an hour, Marlborough Four Paws managed to catch 20 stray cats at the Marlborough refuse centre to desex. Some were kittens and rehomed, three were euthanised, seven went back to the dump.
The organisation asked the council to help fund "desexing days". It costs about $300 to desex and vaccinate a cat.
Envirohub general manager Ailie Suzuki asked the council to consider subsidising its zero waste dishwashing trailer.
The Picton Dawn Chorus, which had merged with Kaipupu Sanctuary amid difficult times, requested $5000 to plant native trees.
The Omaka Observatory asked the council to consider creating a dark sky reserve.
Big new ideas
Emily Hargreaves, wellbeing, library and equity team member at Te Pukenga/NMIT, asked the council to consider putting in a 3x3 basketball court at Ballinger Park.
Heather Turnbull, of the Awatere Valley Trust, called for a small solar heated hot pool area at the local pool. It was part of a wider submission to improve the Seddon camp ground, look into community housing and heat the pool better because it was "famous" for being cold.
Anything the council agreed to fund, unless they pulled funding from separate reserves, would impact its proposed 7.8 percent rates rise. Councillors have four days to consider the 77 submissions before deliberations on Monday.
Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
