24 Oct 2008

Whangarei council cuts funding for arts

4:30 pm on 24 October 2008

Whangarei District Council has reportedly cut funding for the arts and community sector in the city by $400,000.

The Whangarei Museum, Art Gallery and various community groups, including the Citizens Advice Bureau, are affected.

A review was held behind closed doors and the council has not yet made the result public.

But a council source says about $400,000 has been cut from the budget.

The Whangarei Museum and Heritage Park says its funding has been cut by 30%.

Director Linda Wigley says the cut is devastating - especially when the council has seen fit to make a loan of $300,000 to the Northland Rugby Union.