Coffs Councillor Asks if Council is Satisfied with City Pools Operator

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Questions have been ask of council regarding their satisfaction with the Coffs Harbour City Swimming Pools, twelve months since the new operators took over.

Ahead of Thursday’s Coffs Harbour Council meeting, Councillor Paul Amos has asked if Council are satisfied with pool maintenance, pricing changes, and whether the community have indicated whether they believe the service levels have maintained.

“Is the council satisfied that undertakings as to pool maintenance and improvements including leak repairs, coffee shop and gymnasium extensions have been delivered satisfactorily?”, Cr Amos has asked.

Council responded by saying that, “A recent inspection of the pool in Coffs Harbour by the Council’s Mechanical and Electrical Staff has found that the pool is in better working order than it was during the initial inspection in the first week of July 2017”.

The pools within Sawtell and Woolgoolga have been set for an inspection by the Council’s Mechanical and Electrical Staff in late July as both pools are currently closed for the Winter Season.

As part of the original Business Plan that was submitted with the Lane 4 Aquatics Tender response, it was indicated that the café fit out would occur within 4 – 6 months of the commencement of the lease at the Coffs Harbour location. According to Council, this was carried out within the first month of operation.

The business case also provided for the possibility of the establishment of a Gymnasium facility within the Coffs Harbour facility within 18 – 24 months of the commencement of the lease.

Council say, “This is yet to occur but the Lessee has been provided with copies of the building plans to facilitate such works. To date the Lessee has met all requirements of the agreement between the Council and the Lessee”.

The original decision to sign off on the new operator was made by the General Manager under delegated authority, a decision which caught some councilors off guard at the time.

Council say they have not had any negative feedback during the past 12 months with regards to the level of service having decreased since the start of the new lease in July 2017.

Regarding pricing, another question raised by Cr Amos, representatives for the Coffs Harbour City Council say that the Lessee must seek the approval of the Council to undertake any changes to the pool pricing.

“The Council has only ever received two requests with regard to pricing and this was to offer a discounted 20 swim pass (as had been previously offered) and a seniors card rate”.

Coffs Harbour City Council say they have not received a request from the Lessee to increase pool pricing.

9 July 2018




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