Stirling councillors approve extra funds for community events

COMMUNITY events in the City of Stirling are being given a funding boost.

Stirling councillors allocated an additional $35,000 to six events at the June council meeting after deciding the amount recommended by City officers was insufficient.

Perth Eid Festival ($20,000), Wembley Downs District Fair ($25,000), Scarborough Sunset Markets ($25,000), Osborne Park Show ($25,000) and the St Patrick’s Mt Lawley Christmas Festival ($20,000) received an extra $5000 each and Inglewood Night Markets ($30,000) was boosted by $10,000.

Carols at Scarborough will receive $20,000 as proposed.

St Patrick’s Anglican Church parish priest Father Stephen Conway pleaded for extra funds prior to the meeting, telling councillors the festival cost more than $40,000 to run, with $17,000 spent on traffic management required by the City.

Inglewood on Beaufort chair Damien Giudici also appealed for the $30,000 in funding the group had requested to run its Monday night markets.

According to community development director Trevor Holland, officers were unable to approve funding above $20,000 as per council policy but Cr Bianca Sandri said it was “imperative” to provide the extra money to empower the community.