Moyne Shire councillor Jim Doukas unconvinced about Belfast Aquatics management

Cr Doukas was the only councillor to vote against the council motion to give the Port Fairy pool an extra $91,712.3 so management could pay its insurance premiums until April 2023.

As well as approving the insurance payment, the council motion authorised the council chief executive to undertake a full operational investigation of Belfast Aquatics, paid for by Moyne Shire.

Since this would be a lengthy and expensive process, clause four of the motion said the chief executive should be exempt from the normal quotation and tendering requirements for employing an outside contractor for a major project.

"My issue wasn't so much to do with the money, my main problem with it was (clause) four of the recommendation," Cr Doukas told The Standard.

"It was basically saying we'll relieve the chief executive of his financial responsibilities.

"They were pretty much saying to hell with the Local Government Act."

Moyne Shire Council's procurement policy, which was adopted in December 2021 under the new Local Government Act 2020, allows an "exemption to tender" in certain specific cases.

One such case is where "the council requires to obtain advice in a timely manner from a supplier who offers specialist knowledge".

But the requirement to put a council contract for "goods and services" out to tender is only triggered if the project is expected to cost more than $135,000.

At that threshold the chief executive also has to source at least three written quotes for the proposed project, a requirement that was also waived at Tuesday's council meeting.

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Cr Doukas said he was worried at giving the chief executive "free rein" to potentially spend so much extra money on the pool without oversight.

He said he was already concerned at the lack of councillor scrutiny over the inflated insurance premiums council had agreed to pay.

"I did put forward an alternate insurance broker to the interim director some months back, but never got a reply," Cr Doukas said.

"If the insurance premiums stay this high I can't see how we can support that. Council can't keep paying their insurance on top of the money we already give them."

Cr Doukas said he also had concerns about other hidden costs that Belfast Aquatics wouldn't be able to cover.

"I saw how the building was built and it's lucky it's still standing."

He asked whether Moyne Shire would have to foot the bill if the investigating revealed major capital expenditure was necessary.

"(Belfast Aquatics committee chair) Anne McIlroy talks a lot about what a great job they do, but all she does is come back to council looking for money," he said.

Ms McIlroy was contacted by The Standard for comment, but she did not respond.

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