A 50 metre indoor heated pool may benefit some people in the Southern Highlands. Better roads and footpaths, well-maintained infrastructure, essential services, and a financially stable Council, benefits us all. We must ensure funding for the proper care of our existing assets and future requirements before committing huge sums to what may become a significant liability.

   Consider the reality of our Shire’s circumstances.

• We may have to write down investments by tens of millions.

• Our roads are in deplorable condition and becoming worse, amenities are poorly maintained, and the backlog of urgently required infrastructure mounts daily.

• A recent SMH article referenced a Fiscal Star (http://fiscalstar.com.au/) report on the Financial Sustainability of NSW Councils, named WSC as one of the ten worst in the State. The report noted the alarming reality of NSW Council funding does not yet factor in subprime investments losses, or an Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal recommendation to remove Council’s payroll tax exemption, which may increase rates by up to 40%.

Reality Bites

   Despite these undeniable facts, irrespective of the imminent fiscal dangers and project risks, there remains a group of diehards obsessed with the compulsion to build the Leisure Centre. Among the justifications is the time and money spent to date (estimated at $1 million+). The real question is why and how was the money spent?

   We ask the Leisure Centre lobby to please answer these fundamental questions.

1. What will it cost? The estimate is outdated and questionable.
2. What will actually be built in Phase 1 of the project?
3. Can they guarantee the requisite 600 paying customers each day?
4. How will it be funded without selling public land?
5. Is there an independent costing for operational expenses, especially heating?
6. Why has no other council anywhere in Australia built a 50 metre pool in the past 15 years?To quote WSC documents, “This is due to capital costs, the cost of operation, market limitations and the fact that... other pools still need to be provided to ensure that community needs are effectively met.” Why does the LC lobby think constraints preventing other Councils from building a 50 metre pool in times of strong economic activity do not apply to WSC in times of severe fiscal stress. To further confound logic, they want to fund the pool by selling land in an extremely depressed market.
7. Who will pay $400,000 a year to lease the health club?  Is it a viable business at that rental?
8. Why have details of the so-called treatments been withheld? www.savethehighlands.net/LCRisks.htm/. These treatments address mitigation of identified project risks, including cost overruns for construction, professional services,development, borrowings, Community Benefits package, the timing of any contributions and an inability to obtain loans - a risk compounded by WSC’s current financial circumstances.

We believe it is fiscally irresponsible to build the proposed Leisure Centre at this time and sincerely ask those who persist in promoting it to reconsider the facts, and the broader interest of our Shire.

Written and Authorized by L. Coulson, Save The Highlands Inc.,P.O. Box 102 Berrima, 2577