Applications are now being invited for the position of trustees on the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust.

The Trust settlor is Queenstown lawyer Graeme Todd, who has in turn appointed four temporary trustees for the period of three months.

"The sole purpose of those initial trustees is to select and appoint the permanent new trustees. I am delighted that Graeme has offered to step in and run this process which needs to be kept quite separate from the council," Queenstown Lakes District Council chief executive Duncan Field said. The council's only role would be the appointment of the fifth trustee.

The Trust is a key initiative outlined in the Affordable Housing Strategy, Housing Our People in Our Environment (H.O.P.E.), adopted by the council last year. The Housing New Zealand Corporation recently provided $100,000 for a development grant in order to establish the Trust.

"The Trust's overall purpose will be to promote the provision of affordable community housing for the benefit of the community in the district," Mr Todd said.

The trustees, ideally featuring a mix of local and national expertise in areas including property and finance, would be remunerated for the role.

"Successful applicants would be appointed for a 2-3 year initial term and potentially, depending on performance, for up to two additional three year terms," Mr Todd said.

Initial tasks would include delivery of the first set of affordable housing resulting from the contributions provided by local developers.

"We hope to have the appointments finalised in February," Mr Todd said.

Applications were called for this week and close on January 19, 2007. Further information, including an information pack was available on the council website www.qldc.govt.nz under 'what's hot' on the home page.

ENDS

For further information please contact Graeme Todd 03 441 0125.

By: Sarah