Shane Walsh
Te Awamutu councillor Shane Walsh wants more financial rigour from Cambridge Town Hall Community Trust.
Walsh voted against receiving the trust’s statement of intent for 2026 and 2027 from trust general manager Simon Brew and chair Kirsty Johnson at the February meeting of Waipā District Council.
The trust, established in 2021 with a long-term lease from the council, is progressing its mandate to revitalise the hall.
Walsh said he was disappointed in the financials presented in the statement of intent.
“We give $600,000,” he said. “Part of that is to have the confidence that you can develop a financially sustainable model over time. Now, I don’t see any intent in the statement of intent of you heading in that direction.”
Under the agreement, the council provides both a renewal fund for capital asset maintenance and a capital works grant for improvement projects.
Walsh said he expected to see projected annual income for the next 10 years and a profit and loss statement alongside a budget. He also asked what the trust was doing to reduce a $400,000 salary bill.
Brew told Walsh the trust had been cautious.
“Because we don’t have in the long-term plan the numbers to do the master plan, we have pushed play on repairs and maintenance,” he said.
Johnson backed Brew’s explanation.
“If you tracked actuals to budget, you would see a good picture,” she said, “We haven’t made that the focus of this, but we’re very happy to share all those numbers with you.”
