Fines, warnings for Ballina Shire homeowners with pools

HUNDREDS of pool owners have been contacted by the council with inspections set to ramp up.

Ballina Shire Council expects to ramp up its swimming pool inspection program.

HUNDREDS of homeowners in the Ballina Shire have been contacted by the council over problems with their swimming pools.

According to the council’s compliance report, which is on the agenda for this week’s ordinary meeting, 132 breach notices for swimming pool fencing were issued in the 2019-20 financial year.

Another 340 ‘show cause’ notices were issued for new swimming pools for issues such as unregistered swimming pool, no final occupation inspection, no development consent for installation of swimming pool and other matters.

It comes as the council expects to increase in the number of premises that will be subjected to mandatory swimming pool inspections and essential services requirements when new short term holiday accommodation provisions, established by the state government, come into effect.

“If the changes are implemented as currently expected, this will likely increase service demands on council and may create concern amongst property owners due to costs involved in inspections and achieving compliance with legislation, particularly as the implications relating to pools and fire safety are not likely well understood by short term holiday

accommodation providers,” the council report states.

In 2019-20, council officers inspected 235 swimming pool barriers as part of the regular compliance inspection and certification program.

In addition to the inspection program, a key focus during 2019/20 was continuing to identify properties to be included in the council’s Swimming Pools Register.

“It is estimated that there are in excess of 4200 private swimming pools within Ballina Shire,” the report states.

“Council and the NSW State Government have engaged in a lengthy, ongoing media campaign to advise landowners of the legal requirements to register their swimming pool on the State Swimming Pools Register.

“Overall, most property owners are responsive to addressing required improvements to swimming pool barriers where issues are identified by council inspections.”

Key program outcomes

● 228 swimming pools added to the register for the 2017/18 financial year

● 1028 swimming pools added in 2018/19

● 794 swimming pools added in 2019/20

● There are 2846 swimming pools identified in the Swimming Pools Register in total.