UPDATED Friday, September 19:
Following the September ordinary meeting of Gunnedah Shire Council, it was agreed:
1. To receive and note the report on the options for the management of the Gunnedah Memorial Aquatic Complex,
2.That Council call for expressions of interest to operate the Gunnedah pool,
3.That the expressions of interest be considered by Council against the option of Council fully managing the facility, and
4.That Council continue to defer any action in relation to Council Resolution 2.3/25 (Gunnedah Memorial Pool Aquatic Complex Funding Agreements).
Earlier …
Gunnedah Shire Council was on Wednesday expected to consider a major overall of the town pool’s operating model amid bad behaviour by user groups and million-dollar operating deficits.
The September meeting of council was told that mediating existing relationships at the Gunnedah Memorial Aquatic Complex had placed a significant burden on council staff.
“There is a long history of poor behaviour at the pool by some user groups and their associates, necessitating council to introduce mechanisms such as strict communication protocols for user groups, rosters to separate user groups and the issue of warnings and bans,” a council report stated.
“More recently, the poor behaviour has required significant staff time to review, investigate and respond to a large amount of complaints, most of which have originated from a dispute between two user groups.
“This is contributing to a toxic culture that has developed between users at the complex, which is likely to continue under the status quo operational arrangements.
“The recent situation has underscored the limited role council can play in resolving disputes between user groups. These groups tend to operate independently, and unless their conduct crosses a clear line – such as physical alterations – most reported behaviours fall outside council’s jurisdiction and are not actionable.”
Councillors last night also heard the pool was expected to operate at a significant loss over the next four years. The complex is forecasting an operating loss of between $1.6 million and $1.8m per annum, and a cash loss of between $1.3m and $1.8m per annum.
The shortfall would be funded through other revenues generated by council, namely general rates and financial assistance grant income.
Council did not expect to achieve a “cost neutral position” for the pool complex, as it provided an important role in the community and to charge a cost per user would be cost prohibitive, but the “significant recurrent subsidy” for the pool required further investigation.
In an effort to “reset” how the pool facility was operated and managed, councillors were to consider three main models for the future operations of the Gunnedah Memorial Aquatic Complex.
These include maintaining the current operating model and continuing with the existing structure, where council oversees the facility while user groups and external providers deliver programs independently.
Council staff explained that while this option may be viable in principle – particularly if all stakeholders are committed to working collaboratively toward a positive outcome for the broader community, it was contingent on two critical factors – a willingness among user groups to cooperate constructively, and council’s continued financial support to subsidise the complex’s recurrent operating loss through general rates and other revenue sources.
Based on recent experiences, however, and the long history of poor behaviour among some user groups, council concluded that “sustained collaboration among key user groups and their associates, is unlikely” in the near future.
“These services represent the livelihood of several parties, and longstanding interpersonal and legacy issues have proven difficult to overcome,” council’s report noted.
“Council has limited ability to enforce standards of behaviour between users. The toxic atmosphere that has developed between users at the complex will likely continue.”
Council also described the current operating model—where pool lanes are hired out and swim programs are delivered by external providers—as “increasingly outdated”.
Another option could be a “Direct Service Provision Model” where council assumed responsibility for delivering key programs—such as learn to swim and swim coaching—through employment of its own staff. Council said this would allow for greater control over programming, quality, and community alignment.
The council report advised this option represented the best opportunity for council to maximise revenue and profits, however, it would also pose higher risks in being able to consistently source the resources, such as staffing, to provide the services offered.
“Under this option, council would seek to build a team of staff who can perform the current operational tasks required and develop a career path for staff into the learn to swim and swim coaching service areas,” the report said.
A variation of this option could be that council provided the services but outsourced components, especially during the transition phase. The report said this would allow council time to assess its success in establishing a staff team.
The third option would involve outsourcing all complex operations and engaging an external operator to manage the complex under contract, including directly providing learn to swim and swim coaching provisions.
Council said this scenario was “not uncommon” in local government, potentially improving efficiency and reducing operational burden, while requiring clear service-level agreements to safeguard community access and standards.
Under this model, the pool operator would manage minor maintenance issues and council would maintain the facility for more significant repairs.
While council could pass on key operational risks to a specialised, aquatic centre operator, council noted there may not be any material change to the financial outlook for the complex, other than what could be achieved through a review of fees and charges and looking at ways to reduce utility costs.
Gunnedah shire councillors were last night anticipated to nominate a preferred operational model for further investigation at the Gunnedah Memorial Aquatic Complex and again defer a decision on funding agreements for pool user groups.
