MOYNE Shire will keep a closer eye on the running of the Port Fairy swimming pool in the wake of an audit into the facility.
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Councillors voted on a number of conditions to be imposed on the Belfast Aquatics Centre committee, which manages the facility.
An annual subsidy of $150,000 has been paid by the council to help cover the pool’s losses since 2009, but that funding will now be conditional to the committee meeting particular requirements.
The subsidy will also be reviewed on a year-by-year basis.
Another condition of the funding will be the addition of a council officer and councillors Mick Wolfe and Jill Parker to the Belfast Aquatics Centre committee.
The shire’s physical services director Trev Greenberger said the audit report into the pool’s management had “made some very positive comments (but) there were also found a number of issues highlighted”.
“Essentially the recommendations are suggesting council and (the pool) committee work together more closely,” Mr Greenberger said.
The council’s increased interest in the running of the pool came about when the council attempted to recoup a $100,000 interest-free loan that was given to the pool committee in 2007.
Repaying that loan over the next five years is another condition of the council’s increased involvement.
Cr Colin Ryan said the discussions with the pool committee about the results of the audit had been fruitful.
“They have agreed to implement recommendations with the assistance of the council so as to make the operation of the centre completely transparent and hopefully more profitable,” Cr Ryan said.
“The $150,000 being given to the aquatic centre (annually) is dependent on the full co-operation of the committee.”
The subsidy is made up of five per cent of revenue from the Southcombe and Gardens caravan parks, with the council making up the remainder from its budget.
The council has also ordered the pool committee to provide two free pool passes per booking at the Southcombe and Gardens caravan parks.
Cr Daniel Meade said it was imperative the pool committee pay the $100,000 loan back, adding that handing out such loans to community groups was “unsustainable”.