The Bega Valley Shire Residents and Ratepayers Association (BVSRRA) notes the media fanfare accompanying last week’s public announcement that a new shire library facility was to be established in Tura Beach, notwithstanding that a DA for the facility has yet to be placed on public exhibition, let alone approved.
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Doubtless Bega Valley Shire Council (BVSC) would prefer residents/ratepayers to ignore the unhappy history of the Tura Beach facility, since being purchased by council in June, 2013.
A brief list of concerns includes:
- at the time of the purchase, BVSC considered a number of possible uses for the main building including, establishing a Branch Library, office space, “work room”, a regional gallery to house the Shirley Hannan collection, a community meeting room/youth space, a community services office space, children’s play/after school care facility, whilst possible uses for the separate dwelling included office space, a “business incubator”, affordable housing or crisis accommodation.
- After two years, we appear to be getting the Library however, the fact that the site has remained unused for almost two years begs the question as to what has happened with the rest of the proposals used to justify the purchase in the first place and what BVSC has actually been doing in the meantime;
- BVSC’s claim that the purchase of the site was an “astute buy”, given that Council had “put aside” $1.5 million in its 2013/2014 financial plan for the acquisition and development of a community building in the Merimbula area, conveniently ignores the fact that the funds for the purchase were borrowed at an estimated annual cost to residents/ratepayers of $100,000. In the interim, residents/ratepayers have continued to bear the $65,000 annual cost of the current Library facility in Merimbula;
- at the time of the purchase, much was made about the $300,000 estimated value of the gaming licences which came with the purchase and whilst the BVSRRA understands that these licences were subsequently sold, BVSC has provided no details as to the fate of those funds;
- at the time of the purchase, much was made about the plan to remove the commercial kitchen, said to be worth $250,000 by BVSC, and install same in the new Bega Civic Centre. Whilst the kitchen has apparently gone, BVSC has yet to confirm any corresponding savings against the budget for the Bega Civic Centre and in spruiking Council’s plans for the new Library, BVSC neglected to mention the likely cost of installing a replacement kitchen in Tura Beach;
- at the time of the purchase, the possibility of subdividing the site and selling-off the 3/4 bedroom residence for $330,000 was also mooted, if the dwelling could not be used for “affordable or emergency” housing. As far as the BVSRRA is aware, the dwelling has not been used for any purpose since the site was purchased;
- and whilst the proposed 325sqm library space will be 30 per cent larger than the current library space in Merimbula, it will still be 35 per cent smaller than the optimum 500sqm space recommended by the NSW State Library;
- the list goes on … .
Returning to the “bigger picture”, just prior to announcing its plans for the new library in Tura Beach, BVSC adopted a new strategic plan for library services although, notwithstanding its public commitment to improve its standards of community consultation and engagement, it would seem that there was no community consultation involved in the preparation of that plan.
John Richardson
Secretary
Bega Valley Shire Residents and Ratepayers Association
Wallagoot
