Member for Monaro Steve Whan has told a rally against swimming pool closure in Braidwood that he will work with Palerang Council to try to help them open their swimming pools.
But he has confirmed that the ultimate decision on whether the local pools should or should not be opened is for the councillors - not the State Government or State member - and that it is not correct to blame council's financial situation only on amalgamation.
Steve Whan told the rally "I've worked as a volunteer and professionally in sport for many years and I understand the importance of physical activity, of swimming skills for safety and also the importance of swimming clubs.
"However, Palerang Council does face some major financial challenges and I am working with council to try to do whatever I can to help with those challenges.
Steve Whan said later "I know there is not a single councillor who wants to close the pools and I know that they are all keen to find a solution that will enable them to open them but also produce a responsible budget.
"Council's all over NSW are facing similar challenges. A recent report on local Government said that funding from the Federal Government to local Government needed to increase by 20% just to get it back up to the level that it was twenty years ago.
"In 2006-07 the Financial Assistance Grants from the Commonwealth to local Government in NSW will total just $536 million this compares most unfavourably with the fact that the Commonwealth will spend more than $17,000 million on its latest fighter jets.
"At the rally on Saturday I did criticise the finances of the former council's.
"In doing so though I do want to make it clear that I do not blame individual councillors for the historic problems of the former councils, Tallaganda council was hamstrung by a very low rate base and they had very little option other than amalgamation to increase it.
"The fact is that no matter what council Tallaganda was part of (and even if it was left alone) Braidwood residents would have faced the financial results of the former council's failure or inability to set aside money for maintenance and upgrading of services.
"Braidwood residents face a $6 million bill for the sewerage scheme, not because of amalgamation, but because the former council did not put aside funding to maintain and upgrade the scheme.
"Palerang's $3.5 million deficit in roads is the result of the two former councils failing to adequately invest in maintenance and road development. Those who saw council's presentations would have seen the photos of old Tallaganda's timber bridges in an advanced state of decay.
"Palerang council's proposed budget this year is the first local budget to properly assess and set aside funds for depreciation of the council assets. From what I can see this allocation is worth more than $2 million in the budget.
"If Palerang decided to do what its predecessors had done and not put aside funds for depreciation it probably could afford to open its pools (with a rate increase). However that would also mean that as the bridges started to fall down the ratepayers would be slugged with an even more massive up front cost and/or huge borrowings.
"The amalgamation process did restrict the council's ability to reduce its wage costs and in that sense I acknowledge it has contributed to some of the council's difficulties. I have however at previous meetings asked the Council if it wanted the Minister to reopen negotiations with Queanbeyan with a view to transferring some staff - that offer was declined."
Steve Whan said "I do believe it is possible to avoid closing the pools and I will be working with the council to try to achieve that. I have arranged another meeting for the Mayor and GM with the Department of Local Government's senior staff and with Minister's senior adviser and I am working on further ways to help Palerang with some of its capital costs.
"Already the State Government has assisted with funding for the new indoor sports hall in Braidwood, the new library, pumps at the sewerage works and the new office buildings in Bungendore.
"That work will continue so that residents are spared as much of the burden as possible of making up for past mistakes."
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