Special meeting at the
Tuross Progress Hall
Jutland Avenue
at 6:00pm on Friday April 30th, 2010

The THPA invited Council to attend a Special meeting to explain the
Draft Recreation and Open Space Strategy to the community and to
answer specific questions in regards to the
proposed removal of two of the four Tuross Tennis Courts.

A Special edition of the Tuross Head community newsletter had been published
the week before to offer the community an informed background.

The meeting was chaired by the President of the THPA who welcomed
Mayor Fergus Thomson, Council's General Manager Paul Anderson, Councillors Lindsay Brown, Keith Dance and Graham Scobie, Council staff and representatives of various tennis clubs and other associations in the Shire. There were 92 members of the public present.

Mayor Thomson stated that Tuross was a strong community and that fact is well recognised. Council also recognises that sometimes there needs to be changeand some changes need to be accepted. Council is consious of all the issues in regards to the tennis courts however current and future budgets, as they stand, may not support the retention of these facilities and the Strategy looks closely at this issue.

Council's Roads and Recreation Director, Warren Sharpe, raised the example of the initial reluctance by the community to embrace the change of market and community location to Riverside Park. This change had to be worked with the community and the new park was now enjoyed and well utilised by many.

Councils Strategic Planner, Lane Tucker, gave an overview of the Draft Strategy and then addressed each of the questions asked specifically by the Tuross Progress Association that related to the Tuross component of the Draft Strategy, in particular the Tennis court proposal.

Leisa Brennan, Council's Recreation manager spoke at length on the financial aspect of tennis clubs needing to be, as best possible, self funded to ensure that there is money set aside for refurbishment of facilities when the time comes. The figures referred to by Leisa are available at this link and form part of the presentation given by Council on the night.

Leisa informed the meeting that Tennis NSW has been invited to the Shire to advise on how Council and its many Tennis Clubs can encourage a higher court usage.

It was clearly described that the cost of maintenance and refurbishment needs to be met by
player fees and that Council is happy to discuss in detail measures that might help tennis Clubs and Council reduce the funding gap. There is a proposal to increase player fees however other avenues might also be available. The Tuross Tennis Club is invited to pursue these discussions.

Following on from the presentation the Tuross Head Tennis Club President Vic Smith read his statement which is as follows:

Progress Association Meeting with Eurobodalla Shire Council Representative 30th April 2010

As President of the Tuross Tennis Club, I am amazed at the lack of consultation the Council has had with the Club and its members and the wider community of Tuross Heads . The Tennis courts which were built by the Tuross community and have been, in the large part maintained by the members of the Tuross Tennis Club have been selected for removal under the current plan, for what we see as no good reason.

The 4 courts are used on a regular basis 4-5 times per week, 52 weeks a year. We have a membership of 70 persons ranging in age from under 18’s to 80 plus. Four courts are a necessity, especially for our Social games on Monday and Saturday morning, when as many as 18 plus players arrive to play on the courts. The courts are also used on a regular basis by residents and visitors to Tuross Head.

The returns from the Tuross Tennis Club to the Council since July 2008 to the present time have been $9444.90. Whilst Council maintenance during that period has been minimal. Returns from local bookings at Sails Café during the December 09 – January 2010 also show 93 court bookings and a return of $1072 to Council during that period.
Whilst courts 1 & 2 are lit and used for day & for night games, Courts 3 & 4 are used for daylight play and are preferred in winter when the lower courts are shaded, damp and unsafe for play.

At the present time, we have been advised that courts 1& 2 have a life of 8 years with maintenance, whilst courts 3 & 4 have a life of 5 years with maintenance; (that is before resurfacing is needed).
Council is also proposing a 74% increase in player fees, is this to support the loss of fees from the closures of courts 3 & 4?

Council is proposing the removal of 2 very usable courts; which have the possibility of continued use for another 5 years and which are capable of raising revenue for the Council, for reasons which we are unable to support, that being:

To “remove two tennis courts in line with rationalization shire wide and supply club house upgrade and court resurfacing”

The courts are a popular venue because as Council states in the strategy they fulfill the following needs;

Pg 9 (of the Draft Strategy) They provide an opportunity to cater for youth & children in the area
Pg 12 Council needs to provide facilities to meet demand and attract young families to the area, and here they are at Kyla Park
Pg12 Older persons need to participate in recreational pursuits for health and well being, and they do so here at Kyla Park Tennis Courts, many of our members are in their 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.
P18 High dependence on local transport to reach recreational facilities and spaces, makes the courts at Kyla Park very attractive for local residents, as public transport to reach other facilities is nonexistent.
P18 Residents show a strong commitment to membership of community groups & clubs and retain a high level of ownership over facilities and spaces they use – enough said that is why we are here tonight
P26 Council advises “Seniors require passive recreation opportunities” perhaps some do, but many others also require very active recreation opportunities, such as provided at present at Kyla Park
P26 Council advises “Youth require…….sporting facilities” so they do, such as Tennis Courts, Net Ball courts and the oval currently at Kyla Park, with plenty of open space to facilitate the addition of more facilities without the removal of those presently in place.

I can go on further but will instead end with three questions to Council representatives here tonight;
1. Why are we taking away an existing well used facility for no obvious relevant reason?
2. What happens with the money raised from the Tuross Tennis Courts?
3. Can we have an assurance from council that this money be spent on the Tuross Tennis Courts ?

Vic Smith
President
Tuross Tennis Club

THPA President, Michael Johnson, then invited questions from the floor that saw questions
fly in thick and fast.

Q. Why not wait until the courts need waork and then put it to the community to raise the funds?

Warren Sharpe replied : "Council can't rely on raffles to raise funds and needs to have a larger community plan as well as show prudent management by having a sound longterm financial plan"

"Council is happy to work with the community to turn it around keeping in mind that it needs to do this across the whole Shire".

"Estimates to renew the assets we currently have show that Councils across NSW are under financed. We need to look at better ways of managing user fees and rates as well as determining where we place our future infrastructure."

Q. Can Council consider determining realistic figures for replacement costs that will then reveal a more accurate bottom line that can then be used to determine the actual fees required to "break even".

The Tuross Tennis Club has been invited to discus in detail levels of service of court replacement and actual annual maintenance needs. On closer investigation it might be found that the "Funding Gap' is actually reduced and achievable as would an increase in utilisation attract more funds.

Q. Why not let the community look after it and have Council return the courts to the community?

It was identified that the Strategy is in place for a 20 year plan and that by handing the facility back to the community there would be no guarantee of the next generation of Tennis Player coming forward to volunteer as the current generation does. Without a community contingency plan Council needs to set in place a realistic means of finding funds form current users that will directly contribute to any work required in the short term and the eventual replacement of the asset without burdening the next generation.

Q. The proposal to sell community Public Reserve - would the money remain in Tuross.

It was answered in this question and another later on that if the land was re-classified and sold it could be developed with a two story home. Though it was stated that the money could be reserved to be used on Tuross recreation there was no firm commitment to this. residents who wish to see this public reserve retained must make a submission to Council expressing this by May 28th.

Q. Is there a proportion of Rates paid to Recreation?

Yes there is however it is not specifically earmarked for tennis courts or for specific Tuross facilities. Fees currently cover maintenancecost but not renewals. Tuross tennis fees are put into a sinking fund however there is not enough coming in to cover future facility replacement.

Q. Trip hazards fromm tree roots that are now making their way into the court area - who is responsible if there is a fall.

It was generally agreed that Council staff will revisit the tennis courts and look at the tree issue.

Q. Is there an increase in other user fees or is it just tennis?

It was revealed that there was a focus on making tennis facilities self funding as there was little in the way of any guarantee that Council would be able to meet any shortfall in funds required to resurface. "Council won't need to increase its fees if Tuross Tennis can increase its utilisation"

Development of regional facilities such as Hanging Rock reserve had seen a windfall of investment into the facility in the way of lights.

General discussion revealed that no-one was rushing in to remove the courts. It was a matter of when the courts will need replacement. it was agreed that establishing a better line of communication would help keep the asset in the community. It was important for the community to analyse the true costs and to weigh up its needs accordingly.

There was a general show of hands by the majority to the suggestion that nothing be done to the courts until they run their life.

The meeting closed at 7:45pm

many thanks to all those who attended:

the Councillors and Council staff

the representatives of the many tennis clubs.

the representatives of the other interested clubs.

the Tuross Head tennis players

the Progress Assoc members and members of the Tuross community

and to the President of the THPA who kept the meeting civil and positive.

Members of the Tuross Head Community are encouraged to read the Draft Strategy and make their submissions (in support or against the Strategy) by May 28th, 2010.

The primary issue of the public meeting was the proposed removal of two tennis courts however the Draft Strategy also proposes disposal of community owned land and the use of Kyla Grazing lots for the purpose of model aircraft flying - if you have an opinion then write a letter.