The operating hours of more than 20 facilities and services in the Shoalhaven will be reduced as part of the ongoing work to address Council’s financial position in the immediate and long term.
Adjustments to the opening times of swimming pools, libraries, waste depots, customer service and visitor information centres have been presented to this week’s Council meeting.
The changes are part of the organisation’s review of services that’s being undertaken to find operational efficiencies in response to the resolution of Council on 29 January 2024 to take action to improve its financial sustainability.
“We have gone through a thorough vetting process to determine which services we can reduce to achieve a financial objective with the intention of minimising disruption to the community,” said CEO Robyn Stevens.
“As a service provider, any changes to our operations will unfortunately have an impact on the community and we are working hard to find the balance that minimises disruption while also doing what we can to address the reality of the financial position that we are in,” Ms Stevens said.
The changes to operating hours have been selected from 284 ideas put forward by Council staff to improve the financial sustainability of the organisation which are being evaluated and delivered. Thirty-eight of those suggestions related to operating hours with a potential cost savings of $1 million dollars annually.
The operating hour adjustments chosen to proceed as soon as possible will result in a reduction in operating costs of $500,000 per annum.
These changes include:
- Reduction in village swimming pool opening season from 22 weeks to 16 weeks – December to mid-March.
- Closure of Ulladulla and Huskisson Sea Pools during winter.
- Close Bay and Basin Leisure Centre at 2pm Sundays (instead of 4pm).
- Close Ulladulla Leisure Centre (excluding the gym) on Sundays between April and September.
- Close Nowra Aquatic Park between May and August and reduce summer extended hours to six-week holiday period.
- Reduce Bomaderry Aquatic Centre opening hours on Sunday by two hours and extended summer hours to six-week holiday period.
- Close Sussex Aquatic Centre on Sundays.
- Reduce Nowra Library hours by one hour on Saturdays.
- Close Sanctuary Point Library on Saturdays.
- Close Ulladulla Library on Sundays and reduce Saturday opening time by two hours.
- Close Nowra Visitor Information Services on Sundays and reduce Saturday hours.
- Close Ulladulla Visitor Information Services on Sunday and reduce Saturday hours.
- Reduce Council Contact Centre hours by 30 minutes.
- Reduce Nowra Administration Centre counter service hours by 1.5 hours per day.
- Reduce Ulladulla Branch Office counter service hours by four hours per day.
- Reduce Berry, Sussex and Callala Bay waste depot from seven days to five days per week during the summer period.
- Reduce Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre Café opening hours by 30 minutes on weekdays and close on Sunday, except when there is a booked event.
The changes will be communicated to patrons and implemented as soon as possible.
