'Experts' wade into pools plan

THE future of Clarence Valley swimming pools is in the hands of external consultants.

THE future of Clarence Valley swimming pools is in the hands of external consultants.

Clarence Valley Council has bypassed the managers of its pools as it seeks to plan for the future.

It has hired Queensland-based consultants Strategic Leisure Group to gather data for long-term planning for pool usage, refurbishment and construction.

Council assets manager George Kriflik said council could not rely on information from pool management for its planning.

"The information we get from pool management provides different details to what is helpful," Mr Kriflik said.

"Their information is sourced from people like contractors with specific interest in pools."

Mr Kriflik said council needed data about past patronage of the pools as well as information about public expectations from its pools.

He also said council wanted confirmation it had its pool spending priorities right.

Mr Kriflik said council's latest contract with swimming pool management was to share income from the pools on a percentage basis with management and to take over full maintenance of the pools.

"The legacy of past management (where managers were responsible for maintenance) was that many things were not kept to an accept- able standard," he said.

Mr Kriflik said he was about to ask council to fund work to repair a bad long-term leak at the Grafton Pool.

Council is also repairing the ceiling at the South Grafton Indoor Pool and replacing the filtration system.

Mr Kriflik said people wanting to be part of the consultation process could contact him on 66430200.

Pool manager Alan Paterson said his contract with the council did not allow him to comment.

Originally published as 'Experts' wade into pools plan