What new hall management model in the Huon Valley will mean for residents

Some volunteers in the Huon Valley have been left in the lurch over recent changes to the way town halls are managed. What the changes mean for you.

Surges Bay Hall. Picture: Huon Valley Council

A recent decision by the Huon Valley Council to axe many of the duties of the hall committees has left many of the volunteer groups at odds.

At the HVC’s recent June meeting, all nine councillors voted unanimously to abolish the special volunteer committees set up for all 12 of the area’s halls following the Halls Review process that began in 2023.

Instead, maintenance activities would become the responsibility of council and hall bookings would move to an online system.

HVC outlined in its minutes that the existing hall committee structure “cannot be tolerated as the operational risks are too high” and providing human resource support through the council for the approximately 130 hall committee volunteers too expensive.

“Treating the risks while retaining hall committee volunteers is the most expensive

option, with the cost of corporate overheads, estimated from current actuals to be $630,000 per annum, which is equivalent to a four per cent rate increase,” the minutes stated.

Member of the Mountain River Hall management committee Jenny Cambers-Smith said all the members were saddened by the result of the HVC’s Halls Review.

The Mountain River Memorial Hall

“It is very disappointing that halls committees were not consulted during that period,” she said.

“We could have worked with council to develop a solution that helped them mitigate the risk of using volunteers, but still given us responsibility and a sense of ownership.”

She said the new rules and regulations would leave people feeling disconnected from the halls as they had lost their sense of agency.

She also expressed concern about ongoing maintenance issues, including a leaking roof and cracked and damaged basins and toilets.

“The building and limited space around it has never been fit for purpose – however, essential maintenance issues that we’ve reported to council, are still not done years later,” she said.

“We are not sure to what extent our views will be taken into account when the funds we’ve raised are taken back by council.

“We are so close to our heating goal and we’ve identified a solution that will heat the hall adequately, quickly and efficiently, but it’s probable that council will go down a cheaper route.”

HVC Mayor Sally Doyle said council recognised the “concern that changes to hall management may bring”, calling community hall spaces a “true heartbeat of our towns”.

Acting Mayor Sally Doyle for Huon Valley Council. Picture: Facebook.

“Council’s decision to move to a paid caretaker model, supported by a real-time online booking system, will ensure safer, more accessible, and efficiently managed halls for everyone,” she said.

“This change arose from a careful review and community consultation, which found that meeting necessary legal and safety standards under the Work Health and Safety Act for volunteers would require a significant rate increase.

“By introducing paid caretakers, we not only enhance consistency and safety, but also relieve our valued volunteers from administrative burdens — allowing them to focus on activating the halls they love.

“Council is committed to working alongside each community, including existing Hall Committee members, to identify the best ways to support local activities and events.”

Ms Doyle also confirmed all hall funds raised by volunteers would remain dedicated to each hall and spending would be decided on with the community.

Surges Bay Hall committee member Cassy Wells said the move by HVC wasn’t a bad thing for its eight-strong group, boosted by four extra volunteers.

“We are virtually at the stage where we were going to experience volunteer burnout,” she said.

“In addition to trying to run community events, we’re also doing all the cleaning at the hall, we’re doing all the maintenance requests, we’re doing all the bookings, all the promoting.

“Most of us are juggling other priorities, work, kids – even our retired volunteers don’t want to spend all day managing this place.

“One simple event booking might involve five to 10 messages, calls or emails – it’s intensive.”

Ms Wells said the removal of committees would “hopefully mean a step forward” for groups, who can continue to put on community events without the administrative stress.

Originally published as What new hall management model in the Huon Valley will mean for residents