$60k deal over rugby team’s field not what it seemed

The rugby field at Lincoln University will be upgraded by ratepayers at a cost of $60k. Photo: Geoff Sloan

A $60,000 ratepayer-funded Canterbury sports field upgrade may not be the win-win deal it was touted as.

The agreement between Selwyn District Council, Lincoln University, and the South Island Super Rugby professional women’s team Matatū will see the field at the university, which Matatū will use, brought up to standard.

Matatū is based at the university.

Council to pay $60k for pro rugby team base

In last week’s

Selwyn Times

, council chief executive Sharon Mason said the field would be available for community booking when not in use by the university or Matatū.

“Compared to the cost of purchasing land or constructing a new facility, this partnership offers a highly cost-effective solution that delivers immediate community benefit,” Mason said.

But after more questions from

Selwyn Times

, it can now be revealed the field at the western end of the university, close to the intersection of Ellesmere Junction and Weedons Rds, may only be available for 40 hours outside Matatū and the university’s use.

And it appears most of that time will be taken by Ellesmere Rugby Sub Union for its six representative teams towards the end of the season.

In an agreement, the sub union will handle the allocation and bookings of the 40 hours.

Sub union chair Leslie Greenslade said it was “definitely a benefit to the rugby community”.

Greenslade said it would take some of the pressure off other grounds and give them more time to recover.

And in another move in the saga, councillors are likely to discuss the $60,000 deal today at the monthly council meeting – but behind closed doors, meaning the public is excluded.

Councillor and mayoral candidate Lydia Gliddon confirmed to

Selwyn Times

an email was circulating from Mason about the meeting.

Councillors have also confirmed the first they knew $60,000 had been earmarked for the Matatū field upgrade was in a weekly media update sent out by council on Monday last week, after the

Selwyn Times'

initial inquiries.

Council staff had approved the $60,000 in May, which they are able to do, without consulting councillors.

Gliddon said the money could have been used elsewhere.

“While I support working alongside community organisations to deliver positive outcomes, I am concerned about the $60,000 allocated for field remediation as part of this project. If there were surplus funds available, it would have been more prudent to carry them forward to reduce pressure on the this year’s budget,” she said.

Gliddon said if it had come to a council decision, she would not have voted for it.

Mayor Sam Broughton said he supported the Matatū arrangement.

“The value of working with our partners to provide a high-quality training facility and attract a professional sports team to base themselves here in Selwyn is significant, and I fully support capitalising on this opportunity,” he said.

Broughton did not answer

Selwyn Times'

question about whether he was aware of the arrangement before councillors were made aware of the situation last Monday.

“Sharon Mason has informed both myself and the councillors that a media release was held back in February as the details of the agreement were still being worked out.

“In hindsight, myself and councillors could have been sent the draft media release to keep us informed on progress,” Broughton said.

It is possible the field could be used in summer.

“I anticipate there will be far greater access from August to January and I understand the details of this are being worked out,” he said.

Alongside the field use, Matatū will also host a Girls on the Go holiday session and council will get 10 tickets to local Matatū games, which are expected to be available for the community.

Last week the council said the $60,000 was part of a strategic partnership between the council, the university and Matatū.

But it now says the agreement is an extension of a memorandum of understanding between the council and the university, and sits on its own and is part of the council’s play, active recreation and sport strategic action plan.