A referendum was held in conjunction with the October 2023 Council Elections to determine whether or not the electors of the Shire of Collie supported the Shire proceeding with the development of an indoor heated pool.
At its Ordinary Council Meeting on 8 August 2023, Council resolved to conduct a poll of electors asking if the community would support the Shire proceeding with the construction of an indoor heated pool.
The question asked was:
Would you support the Shire of Collie proceeding with the construction of an indoor heated pool if:
- all capital costs of $4.5 million to $8 million could be externally funded; and
- the ongoing operational and renewal costs were to be met from Shire general revenue which would result in an additional increase in Shire rates of between 5% and 15%?
The responses were:
| Responses | Votes | Percentage |
| Yes | 1,050 | 44.74% |
| No | 1,297 | 55.26% |
Following the outcome of the referendum, at the Ordinary Meeting of Council held 14 November 2023, Council resolved:
- to receive and note the results of the referendum for an indoor pool held 21 October 2023;
- having regard for the results of the referendum, not to proceed with the indoor pool project; and
- authorise the Shire President, Deputy Shire President and Chief Executive Officer to liaise with MLA Jodie Hanns with a view to achieving support for the repurposing of funds otherwise allocated for an indoor pool.
Background
Proposals for an indoor pool have been given considerable attention by the Shire of Collie Council.
In 2022, following a community meeting, a working group was established by the Shire to identify the optimal indoor pool specification for Collie whilst having consideration for the financial impacts of an additional public swimming pool.
The report prepared from meetings of the Working Group was presented to Council on 13 June 2023. It includes a summary of past decisions and a recommendation for Council’s consideration:
Working Group Recommendation
1) That Council:
- Seeks approval of the State Government for the financial commitment for the Collie Indoor Heated Pool to be retained for a further six months to enable additional capital funds to be raised; and
- Pursues external funding to fully fund the construction of an indoor pool facility at an estimated cost of $7.67m.
2) That should all the required capital funds be raised, that Council:
- Proceeds with the construction of an indoor heated pool, including a 25m, 6-lane pool and an additional 9m x 5m program pool on the southern side of the existing Collie Mineworkers Memorial Pool; and
- Meets ongoing operating, m
- Maintenance, and renewal costs for the new indoor heated pool from Shire general revenue with rates set as necessary to fund the additional cost.
The Working Group Report is available here.
Officers Report
The Officer’s Report included in the Agenda for the Ordinary Meeting of Council held 13 June 2023 is available here.
Council Decision June 2023
At the 13 June 2023 meeting, Council resolved:
1.To receive the report of the Indoor Pool Project Working Group dated May 2023, and thank the Members for their involvement and contributions to the project;
2.That the Shire of Collie conducts a referendum on the provision of a heated pool in conjunction with the Local Government Elections in October and that the referendum be prepared in consultation with the Indoor Pool Project Working Group.
3.Allow the Indoor Pool Project Working Group to continue its meetings ahead of the referendum in October 2023 to further its investigations.
4.If the referendum does not produce a successful outcome with the result being less than 51%, and/or if the capital is unable to be raised within 24 months Council resolve not to proceed with an Indoor Pool for the following reasons:
a)Rate increases that would be necessary to sustain operations, combined with other factors leading to rate escalation, are beyond the reasonable expectation of the community to absorb;
b)An indoor pool would have a detrimental impact on the financial health rating of the Shire of Collie and consequent capacity to sustain services; and
c) The performance of an indoor pool in Collie is expected to be well below recognised benchmarks for aquatic facilities.
Council Decision August 2023
At the Ordinary Council Meeting held 8 August 2023, Council rescinded its June resolution and resolved:
That the Shire of Collie conducts a referendum on the provision of a heated pool in conjunction with the Local Government Elections in October 2023 and that the referendum question be:
Would you support the Shire of Collie proceeding with the construction of an indoor heated pool if:
- all capital costs of $4.5-$8 million dollars, could be externally funded; and
the ongoing operational and renewal costs were to be met from Shire general revenue which would result in an additional increase in Shire rates of between 5-15%
Agendas and Notes from Working Group Meetings are below.
| Date | Agenda | Notes | Additional Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 August 2023 | Meeting Notes | ||
| 17 May 2023 | Agenda | Meeting notes | Draft report |
| 18 January 2023 | Agenda | Meeting notes | |
| 30 November 2022 | Agenda | Meeting notes | |
| 16 November 2022 | Agenda | Meeting notes | Site Plan with Pool Templates |
| 19 October 2022 | Agenda | Meeting notes | |
| 12 October 2022 | Agenda | Meeting notes |