Push on for mobile PCYC
CLARENCE Valley Council is lobbying for one of two remaining Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) funding allocations to be announced in the near future.
Mayor Richie Williamson asked Police Minister Mike Gallacher several questions about the Valley's application for a $250,000 grant for a mobile PCYC at last week's Local Government and Shires Association annual conference in Sydney.
"The minister was able to give a reply that there were two remaining PCYCs to be funded, five had been committed to in total and three had already been awarded," Cr Williamson said.
"They (the remaining two) are being considered by an independent panel and the PCYC."
Though the minister's figures don't quite match with correspondence from PCYC CEO Chris Gardiner to the council last month, in which Mr Gardiner said funding for the first five sites had been allocated and no decision had been made on a remaining three, Cr Williamson said he was faithfully quoting the minister.
"I am endeavouring to set up another meeting with Chris Gardiner and I'll invite Chris to come and see the Out of the Box program, which should be completed by the end of June."
Cr Williamson said the Out of the Box project, which was being constructed in Market Square, Grafton alongside a new stage, was a federally funded youth program designed to be moved around the centres of the Clarence Valley.
In a statement provided to DEX last month, Mr Gardiner said he was "not in a position to detail a timetable for the second round of funding applications".
The proposed model would see a mobile club cover all major centres in the Valley, with "home bases" in South Grafton and Yamba.
