Wollongong councillors have quashed a council officer plan to outsource part of the planning for the future of Beaton Park.
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On Monday night, councillors voted down a motion to instigate a "public private partnership" (PPP) to develop a master plan for the sports precinct.
In a report to councillors, staff asked permission to approach the Office of Local Government and call for expressions of interest from "community focused organisations from the health and well-being sector" to enter into a PPP.
This was necessary, they said, as the council had "little experience" in the health and well-being field, which was a large part of the desired future direction for Beaton Park. But most councillors said they were uncomfortable with this plan, voting it down 7-3.
Labor councillor David Brown said a private partnership was “unprecedented” and could present problems.
“A legitimate case could be made out that by inviting a third party PPP to help build the master plan, it could lead to a further PPP which is effectively shaped to suit the person that got the first part of the process,” he said.
“We could be locked into dealings with one provider, and we should be concerned about going down this path.”
Janice Kershaw said she “strongly opposed” the recommendation and thought the council should use its normal master planning process.
Vicki Curran was also concerned, highlighting a previous private partnership – with the developers of the defunct Bass and Flinders Gateway – which had been costly for the council.
She said she would have liked to be given more information from staff, including details of other options for developing the master plan.
But George Takacs said he was supportive of the private partnership, as it may result in a better outcome for the future of Beaton Park.
“If we can get someone who better understands the direction with which things are moving, what are the emerging needs and other information that may not be apparent, we could get something happening there that better suits our community,” he said.
“Sometimes you’ve got to try something new.”
The council’s infrastructure and works director Greg Doyle said he had assured councillors that the PPP would not have led to privatisation.
“There was never any interest to privatise Beaton Park, it was designed to be a community-based partnership,” he said.
Mr Doyle said the master plan design would go ahead without the involvement of a private partner, and would just be done using the council’s usual processes.
This may include working with a consultant and would likely be completed by March next year, he said.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
