Money raised by the Red Cross, Stuff and the public will be transferred from the Disaster Relief Trust to mayoral relief funds in Wairoa, Central Hawke’s Bay, Napier and Hastings District to make targeted payments directly to those directly impacted by flooding.
Trustees of the Disaster Relief Trust approved the $2.3 million in bulk payments to the mayoral funds. Trustees are the region’s mayors and chair. The payments will be equivalent to about $2000 per stickered property.
Each mayoral fund will set criteria for distribution of funds.
Hawke’s Bay Disaster Relief Fund and Regional Council Chair Hinewai Ormsby said the trustees recognise the need to support individuals and families who have been significantly impacted by flooding and have continuing costs.
“We believe that the public making contributions to the fund intended that donations go to those most heavily impacted. We are grateful for the numerous and generous donations that have allowed us to continue to help our people here in Hawke’s Bay.”
The mayors and Chair also recognise that in some instances emergency accommodation and insurance payments have stopped in these areas and families require ongoing relief.
To date, the Disaster Relief Trust has approved and paid out $2.3 million to 4,900 applicants.
Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said owners of red and yellow stickered properties will receive one-off support payments of $2000 over the coming weeks.
“We are extremely grateful to receive this funding from the Hawke’s Bay Disaster Relief Fund. Thanks to generous donations from the public to the disaster relief fund we are able to reach out to our people whose properties have been directly impacted and offer some support as they continue to deal with the enormous challenges in front of them,” she said.
Payments would be made once council had all the correct property information, which was being gathered. Owners of red or yellow stickered properties who had yet to hear form council should keep an eye on the council website over the coming days, she said.
Central Hawke’s Bay Mayor Alex Walker said a panel of three councillors would make decisions on how the money would be distributed in her district. A council meeting on May 18 would discuss how money would be passed on to those in need.
“My personal intention is that we make that as simple and seamless as possible but I am awaiting advice on the exact mechanisms. I believe it is one area where councils can add value that no other support agency can, as we hold the information on the specific stickered properties. It is not perfect, but it is a sensible way to help quickly in a targeted way,” she said.
Napier City Council was still formalising the process and timeline, but everything would be in place by the end of next week, a spokeswoman said.
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