The Star: September 15, 2016

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Thursday September 15 2016
News
Programme
to get
beneficiaries
working
• By Gabrielle Stuart
JUST ONE in five of the 2800
working-age Cantabrians on a
health benefit are expected to
ever return to work – but a trial
programme ready to launch in
Christchurch aims to change that.
The programme will focus especially
on young people aged 18-24,
but covered people right up to
age 50, co-ordinator and Pegasus
Health operations manager Lisa
Brennan said.
She said they often struggled
with mental health conditions,
many with anxiety or depression.
Under the new programme, two
co-ordinators would be appointed
to work alongside a small group of
people, helping them solve problems
they were facing that were
keeping them from work.
“There are lots of services out
there, but the gap we’re seeing is
for someone to wrap around the
person and get them ready to use
those services,” she said.
The trial programme is still
waiting on its funding from Ministry
of Social Development to be
approved, but she hoped it would
start before the end of the year.
Mileage claims cost $30k
City councillors and
community board
members have
claimed more than
$30,000 in mileage
during the last
three years. Bridget
Rutherford reports
COMMUNITY board
members and a city councillor
representing Banks Peninsula
made up the majority of those
who claimed back their mileage
costs over the past term.
Akaroa-
Wairewa Community
Board
chairwoman Pam
Richardson (left)
got $11,468 back
from the city
council, which
made up a third
of the total claims.
Lyttelton-Mt Herbert Community
Board chairwoman
Paula Smith came in second at
$7819, while Banks Peninsula
city councillor Andrew Turner
claimed $6868.
City councillors and community
board members can claim
TRAVEL COSTS: More than $30,000 has been claimed back
by elected members for mileage over the past term.
back 74c for every kilometre and two city councillors claimed
they travel over 30km when they their mileage back, in total costing
the city council $33,990.
are going to and from council
or board business in their own Mrs Richardson, who lives in
vehicles.
Pigeon Bay, serves on the community
board, as well as other
The rates are set by the Remuneration
Authority.
community, Environment Canterbury
and council groups.
Banks Peninsula representatives
have to drive further to She said with the two Banks
get to council-related meetings, Peninsula community boards
because the wards cover a larger merging after October’s elections,
the amount of travel
area.
Of the 28 community board would increase.
representatives and 13 city councillors,
only five board members to Lyttelton, Little River
Members would have to travel
and
The Star
Akaroa for meetings, she said.
“For prospective members
it will be considerably more
travel.”
Akaroa-Wairewa Community
Board members Lyndon Graham
and Janis Haley claimed
$5431 and $1490.
Burwood-
Pegasus Community
Board
member Linda
Stewart and
Spreydon-
Heathcote city
councillor Tim
Scandrett (left)
were the only ones to claim
mileage back who were not representing
Banks Peninsula.
Ms Stewart claimed $526,
while Cr Scandrett got $385.
Cr Scandrett said he clocked
up mileage travelling to Rolleston
for his fortnightly Selwyn-
Waihora Zone Committee
meetings.
“We do a lot of running
around, but in town it’s short
stints. On Banks Peninsula they
do huge kilometres.”
Ms Stewart said she claimed
her mileage back over a sixmonth
period, when she was
living in Pegasus.