The new Wingecarribee Council should reverse major proposals by Administrator Viv May and save tens of millions of dollars according to former mayor Duncan Gair.
Mr May has proposed closing the Bowral and Bundanoon Pools and building a new pool and indoor sporting complex at Mittagong at an estimated cost of $100 million.
This involves abandoning a previous council-approved masterplan to build a multi-purpose Regional Sporting Hub at Moss Vale’s Lackey Park. Moss Vale already has a new aquatic centre.
Sports administrators have told council of significant flaws in the Administrator’s proposal. Sports fields are wrongly oriented, indoor courts insufficient and there are topographical and geological problems.
Another issue is the potential loss of a garbage collection service by rural ratepayers.
Mr Gair’s team in the council elections has proposed restoring the existing pool at Mittagong at a modest cost subject to investigating stormwater issues and keeping Bowral and Bundanoon pools open. The people of Bundanoon paid for their pool, not council.
“This could be achieved years earlier and save tens of millions of dollars and give back to the people of Mittagong the iconic pool they love. To close the Mittagong pool would be to scrap an existing $8 million community asset,” Mr Gair said.
“The new council should then proceed with the Moss Vale complex that Mr May has dumped contrary to the clear wishes of the community. This could be built for a fraction of $100 million. It would accommodate rugby league, cricket, gymnastics and other sports.
‘Mittagong also has public access to the Frensham pool and indoor courts while Moss Vale/South Bowral is the epicentre of future housing growth.
Mr Gair also said Mr May’s new waste collection policy would deprive many rural properties of a garbage service. “He proposes replacing the current private service by Highlands Tip Trips with a council service.
“But the council’s contractor J R Richards could not service narrow roads and the Tip Trips operator has made it clear that without his existing customers on other rural roads his business would no longer be viable.
“That would leave many property owners having to take all their garbage to the tip themselves. It appears to be an effort by Mr May to boost council coffers by charging rural ratepayers extra.
“This policy should also be canned.”
