A PLAN to overhaul Tamworth’s public toilets almost hit the skids at Tuesday’s council meeting, with concerns raised over borrowing $1.5 million to flush out 16 “crappy” amenities.
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Tamworth Regional Council passed the proposal to upgrade 16 “high profile” public toilets around the region, but it was almost scuttled, as battle lines were drawn within the chambers over the substantial loan.
Former general manager and first-term councillor Glenn Inglis said “it was not good practice” to approve a stand-alone loan just one month before council sits down to nut out its draft budget and operation plan.
He found support in former Parry Shire councillors Phil Betts and Russell Webb, but their Tamworth Regional Council colleagues shot down the amendment move, expressing a sense of urgency in the need to fix up the local facilities.
“We already know where we stand,” Cr Mark Rodda said.
“What is the point of our council if we don’t provide theses basic things.”
Cr Juanita Wilson, as a mother of four children, said she knew how much of a deterrent “crappy toilets” could be.
“We could jump through more hoops but, why delay, this needs to happen,” she said.
Cr Betts said “council needs to consider things in a budget” and facetiously suggested taking out a $34 million loan to build a much sought-after aquatic centre.
Mayor Col Murray opposed Cr Inglis’ amendment and said the $1.5 million proposal to overhaul the region’s public toilets wasn’t “pulled out of the air”.
Cr Murray said it had been raised in the last two rounds of community consultation.
Despite some opposition, the motion was carried which should come as some relief to locals and visitors, TRC said.
“Our residents as well as visitors will appreciate this outcome,” Cr Murray said.
TRC will repay the debt over 15 years, using $50,000 from the special rate variation reserve for buildings and the asset renewal reserve for public amenities, estimated at $83,950 a year, depending on interest rates.
“With interest rates at relatively low levels, there is a strong business case supporting this move – at a rate of 4 per cent the $1.5M loan could be repaid over 15 years at $133,950 a year,” Cr Murray said.
TRC will call for tenders to supply and construct all 16 of the “high profile” public amenities around July 2017.
Tamworth’s high profile public toilets and their replacement cost
- Attunga Rest Area Toilets – $80,000
- Barraba Lions Park Toilets – $115,000
- Barraba Rotary Park Toilets – $100,000
- Hyman Road Safety Park Toilets – $120,000
- Manilla Rotary Park Toilets – $40,000
- Marsupial Park Toilets – $80,000
- Moonbi Chook Park Toilets – $80,000
- Moonbi Lookout Toilets – $50,000
- Nundle Jenkins St Public Toilets – $117,000
- Sheba Dam Toilets – $50,000
- Tamworth ANZAC Park Toilet Building – $126,000
- Tamworth Bicentennial Park Toilets – $287,000
- Tamworth Cemetery Toilets – $40,000
- Tamworth Oxley Lookout Ladies’ Toilets – $50,000
- Tamworth Oxley Lookout Men’s Toilets – $50,000
- Tamworth Viaduct Park Public Toilets – $98,000
Total: $1,483,000
Jacob McArthur
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
