Funding changes threaten Wickham concert
Wickham's annual concert, to be headlined this October by country musician Adam Brand, faces an uncertain future after the Shire of Roebourne last week changed its community funding policy.
The Shire approved more than $1.25 million in community association funding, which will be used to support popular community events and projects, such as the 2014 Wickham concert, Dampier Beachside Markets and Point Samson Chili Cook-off.
But under the changes, the Shire would also require associations from 2015 onwards to spend a set portion of their funding, known as ex gratia grants, on infrastructure projects.
It means the Wickham Community Association would not be able to repeat its request this year to use $103,000, or half its ex gratia funding, to hold the annual Wickham concert.
Wickham Community Association president Fiona White-Hartig said the change could spell the end of the event.
"Possibly (we will not be able to hold it next year), so we will need to speak to Rio Tinto and the Shire about it and try to lobby to keep it," Ms White-Hartig said.
"We'll be taking feedback after this year's event and hopefully we will mount a decent case as to why the event should continue."
The Shire's annual grants are designed to give residents more control over where local money is spent by directing the funds through community associations in Dampier, Karratha, Roebourne, Wickham and Point Samson.
However, the new policy change means the Shire will force the associations to spend part of their grants on infrastructure.
It is a change that does not affect most associations and the Shire claimed it would better prepare the region for when the ex gratia funding, provided by Rio Tinto to compensate for its fly-in, fly-out workforce, dries up.
However, Ms White-Hartig said it was difficult for the Wickham association to identify worthy infrastructure projects to spend their ex gratia funding on because Rio Tinto owned most of the assets in the town.
She also said by investing in the concert and its associated celebrity cricket match and citizenship awards, the Wickham association created a sense of community spirit as valuable as bricks-and-mortar infrastructure.
While the Shire believed the concert was too expensive, Ms White-Hartig said Point Samson, Roebourne and Wickham residents wanted a major event held locally because most events were in Karratha, at least 40km away and inaccessible by public transport.
"We will be trying to negotiate with Rio Tinto and the Shire to deliver things the (Wickham) community wants, not what the Shire wants," Ms White-Hartig said.
Spending highlights from the Shire's community association funding are as follows:
Dampier
$100,000 to fund eight working groups charged with improving community life in the town.
$53,000 to run the Dampier markets and sunset movies.
Karratha
$50,000 to improve the Searipple Lookout as part of the Karratha foreshore plan.
$30,000 to improve the Yaburara Heritage Trail.
Point Samson
$171,500 held in reserve until the Point Samson Local Planning Strategy is completed.
$25,000 for the annual Chili Cook-off.
Wickham
$203,000 for the Wickham concert and associated events.
$100,000 to build the Wickham community bus shed.
Roebourne
$121,500 to build community playground and fitness equipment.
$20,000 to cover the cost of providing lighting on the community sports oval and basketball court.
