Organisers of the Save the Outdoor Pools (STOP) group are in the process of lobbying Campaspe Shire Council for two spots on the soon to be named ‘community panel’.
A community panel of 30 to 50 Campaspe Shire residents will be independently recruited to complete an initial review.
Tenders for the consultancy role, to put the community panel pool review group in place, were called on May 6 on council’s website.
The website said: “Council requires the services of a suitably qualified and experienced consultant to recruit and manage a Community Panel for the purpose of reviewing and providing recommendations as to the merits of community pools and their future viability in various townships.’’
On the same page council is seeking the services of a consultant to handle a phone survey and the development of Place Based Plan and Township Facility Plan groups.
A time frame for the establishment of the pool panel will be announced once a consultant has been appointed.
Place Based Plan and Township Facility Plan committees are expected to be in place in June or July.
The pool panel will consider both those plans before making a final recommendation to council on the future of the outdoor pools — by May next year.
All pools will operate, as normal, during the 2022-23 swimming season.
In order to be considered for the pool panel positions, members of the public must submit an expression of interest.
STOP organisers are concerned that the “right people’’ will not necessarily be given a position on the panel.
Tongala’s Kirsten Wright, a key player with the STOP alliance — which includies members of the Kyabram, Colbinabbin, Lockington, Rochester, Rushworth, Tongala and Stanhope pools — said the group had identified two people they wanted on the panel.
“These two people have the experience, and knowledge, to make a real contribution,” Ms Wright said.
“They are also well aware of how local government operates.”
She said the STOP group would be pushing hard to ensure they were given the opportunity to represent the group on the community panel.
The panel will be recruited and managed by an independent consultant, not Campaspe Shire Council.
After collating information, the panel will give its initial position on the future of the public pools.
There is also a shire-wide telephone survey planned and discussions with user groups will be part of the process.
Campaspe Shire Mayor Chrissy Weller said council had agreed to another very important step in the process.
“If the Township Facility Plan recommends to decommission, close or sell a council-owned asset (like a pool), and council decides to do this, council will then make the revenue gained from the asset available for the aspirations listed in that town’s Place Based Plan,” she said.
“These funds will equate to five years of maintenance savings, five years of staff cost savings, or net profit of asset sales.
“Money that may arise from the decommission or sale of a council-owned asset goes straight back to that community.
“And that’s why we have the Place Based Plans and the Township Facility Plans, because then we know exactly where the community would like that money to go.”