The sale of an Eastern Shore squash centre to a Tasmanian council has raised concerns

The site likely would have become apartments if it wasn’t for the council’s intervention and will now serve international events.

A COUNCIL’S decision to buy an Eastern Shore squash centre will keep the sport alive in Tasmania, centre management says, but the way the sale was finalised has drawn some criticism.

Clarence City Council aldermen voted to purchase the Bellerive Eastside Squash Centre for more than $900,000 in a closed council meeting last month.

Under the deal the squash centre operators will lease the site off CCC at $5000 a year.

Squash centre junior development manager Mark Hudson said if the council hadn’t picked up the site it likely would’ve been sold to developers and turned into apartments.

“The sale enables us to improve certain aspects of the centre,” he said.

“We’ll now be able to hold international events which will be great for the growing numbers we’re seeing taking up the sport.”

Clarence alderman Richard James said the closed-door vote on the council’s purchase highlighted a lack of transparency and accountability afforded to ratepayers.

“I’ve always been in favour open an transparent discussions in all council decisions and I think there should be very few matters discussed in closed meetings,” he said.

“This decision I feel slaps of lack of transparency and accountability in the use of public funds at a local government level.

“There was no opportunity for the public to have a say.

“With respect to the squash centre, I would’ve thought the public would want those funds spent across broader community organisations pulling their weight, rather than just to a small group.”

Clarence mayor Doug Chipman said the purchase was decided in a closed council meeting so discussion of the sale “didn’t foreshadow the intent to purchase with possible competitors”.

“If there is an arrangement settled in principle it’s a matter of commercial confidence normally,” he said.

Local Government Meeting Procedures Regulations 2015 states that a part of a meeting may be closed to the public when commercial information of a confidential nature confers a commercial advantage on a competitor of the council.

Mr Chipman said the purchase fell in line with state policies to support and grow health and fitness within Tasmanian communities.