A SMALL-town swim club says it’s been unfairly hit by a new fee imposed by Tamworth Regional Council and have vowed to fight the new charge, which it says is raising funds for a Tamworth Aquatic Centre.
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President of the Nundle Amateur Swim Club Nicola Worley says the club has about 40 local kids in its ranks learning to swim, but its future could be on shaky-ground.
The club asked council to waive the newly-imposed $690 lane hire fee for the 2017/18 season.
The request was denied.
A report considered by council flagged increased pool fees down the track but stopped short of confirming fees would be hiked across the board to pay for a year-round aquatic centre.
“It is also noted that, as council pursues the development of a regional indoor aquatic facility, it is likely that user charges will need to be increased at some point in the future,” the report said.
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On top of purchasing season tickets, the lane hire fee is an extra expense which might have the club struggling to stay afloat.
“We’re already paying $300 for vastly reduced hours, the pool doesn’t open until midday,” Mrs Worley said.
Mrs Worley struggled to understand the imposition of the lane fee when there was “not other community groups using the pool” when club has been using the facility.
“We’re helping kids learn to swim,” she said.
“There’s families out here that don’t have a lot of money.”
Mrs Worley said an indoor, year-round aquatic centre would “mean nothing” to the club and its swimmers and didn’t believe Nundle residents should be forced to pay for it.
In a written statement, Tamworth mayor Col Murray said the charge was not “unreasonable” and brought the Nundle organisation into line with other fee-paying swim clubs in the council area.
“The Nundle club amounts to less than $16 for each of the currently registered 44 members for the season or about 60 cents per member per week.”
Cr Murray said if council was to waive the fee for the Nundle club, it would set a precedent which may lead to other swimming clubs in the region seeking the same arrangement, leading to a larger financial impact.
The Nundle pool operates at a net cost of $79,000 per annum to council.