Healthy lunches announcement leaves schools confused
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
The latest announcement on the future of the Healthy School Lunches Programme has left North Canterbury schools feeling confused.
Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced last week the revised Ka Ora, Ka Ako/Healthy School Lunches programme would save $130 million.
It was revealed the new $3 lunches will apply to all schools and year levels already in the scheme, which left principals scratching their heads.
Earlier this year, the Government had indicated year 0 to 6 students would continue under the existing scheme, while year 7 to 13 students would be part of the new programme.
But Seymour said an agreement had been reached with the Government's preferred suppliers to offer the $3 lunches across all age groups.
The present budget is $8.68 per student.
‘‘The programme will deliver nutritious hot and cold meals, such as butter chicken curry, chicken katsu, lasagna, chicken pasta salad and wraps,’’ Seymour said.
‘‘All students in year 0 to 8 will receive the same sized meals (240 grams) and older students will receive larger lunches (at least 300g), which will include additional items such as fruit, yoghurt or muesli bars.’’
Te Kura o Tuahiwi principal Dot Singh feared the revised programme could leave its existing provider, Lazy Lunches, out in the cold.
‘‘I am still a bit confused,’’ she said.
‘‘We were told our year 0 to 6 student lunches would stay the same and they said if you’ve got cultural needs and allergy needs you could continue what you are doing.
‘‘But now they are saying we need to go through their providers and I’m unsure how healthy those lunches are going to be.’’
Lazy Lunches was established in 2021 to provide lunches to Te Kura o Tuahiwi, when the kura joined the scheme.
It has since extended the service to provide lunches to Kaiapoi Borough School and Karanga Mai Young Parents’ College, based at Kaiapoi High School.
Kaiapoi Borough School principal Hayden van Lent said he is grateful the lunches will continue to be provided for tamariki.
‘‘We appreciate the importance of ensuring our tamariki are well fed so they have the needed energy to learn at school and keep active throughout the day.
‘‘It is difficult to know what the new model will look like until it is in practice from next year.
‘‘In the interim we are going to explore both the internal and external options to see what will be best for our tamariki.’’
Te Kura o Hāpuku, near Kaikōura, is also part of the scheme, preparing lunches onsite for its 16 tamariki and six staff.
Principal Ripeka Tamepo said the kura was set to lose more than half of its funding.
‘‘We now will have to come up with creative ways to ensure we can continue to feed our tamariki nutritious meals.
‘‘Our tamariki need this as many whānau are struggling financially and this programme eradicated kai as a barrier to education as well as promoting whanautanga (connections), manaakitanga (care for others) and healthy food education.’’
Kaiapoi Borough School’s board of trustees, Karanga Mai, Te Kura o Hāpuku and Lazy Lunches have been contacted for comment.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Heritage gem or dangerous burden? Bowling club’s dilemma with historic pavilion
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A Rangiora sports club is frustrated with the increasing maintenance and insurance costs of its 113-year-old pavilion, which can't be demolished due to its historic importance.
The Rangiora Bowling Club approached the Waimakariri District Council last year for help, but was yet to find a satisfactory solution for the pavilion.
It is registered with Heritage New Zealand and listed in the Waimakariri District Plan, leaving the club with few options.
The club’s ex-president Norman Hewett said the pavilion on Good St, north of the town centre, is unsafe and no longer fit for purpose.
Hewett said the council has been supportive and Heritage New Zealand has offered advice, but no funding.
‘‘Everybody thinks the building is worth preserving, but there is a cost and it shouldn’t be put on the bowling club.
‘‘As far as we are concerned it is not fit for purpose and we want to know how we can get round that.
‘‘We want to know what the community thinks and if they want to retain it, are they willing to pay for it?’’
The club has formed a sub-committee to explore what options are available.
Sub-committee member Rodger Wilton said the club has been unable to find any record that the club had a say when the building was given heritage status.
Built in 1911, the pavilion served the Rangiora Bowling, Tennis and Croquet Club, which originally shared the site.
It cost 945 pounds and was opened on October 28, 1911.
The three clubs purchased 1.25 acres on the corner of Blackett and Good streets in April 1905, but later parted company, with tennis and croquet moving to new sites.
While no quotes have been sought, Hewett believed it would cost more than $1 million to bring the pavilion up to code.
Ideally the club would like to demolish the pavilion so it can upgrade its main building and remain on site.
The stairwell was non-compliant and there was no wheelchair access, meaning the club was unable to use the upstairs facilities.
There are loose tiles on the roof which need replacing.
An attached building behind the pavilion is sufficient to meet the needs of the 140 members and for hosting the largest bowls tournament in North Canterbury, Hewett said.
He said the club is open to all options, including a land swap or selling to a developer with the expertise to restore the pavilion.
Waimakariri District Council community and recreation manager Chris Brown said the council is working through various opportunities with the bowling club as part of a feasibility study.
‘‘There are a lot of options to consider. Each have various financial, social and operational implications.’’
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga said it had ‘‘expressed support for the adaptive reuse of the building and supported the club’s intention to investigate options for the pavilion and the associated land parcel’’.
The Rangiora Bowling Club is keen to hear the views of the community. Email rangiorabowling@gmail.com.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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84.6% Yes
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14% No
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1.4% Other - I'll share below
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