Serve for squash deal

Council’s secret purchase of centre shows ‘lack of transparency’

A COUNCIL’S decision to buy an Eastern Shore squash centre will keep the sport alive in Tasmania, centre management says, but the way the sale was finalised has drawn criticism.

Clarence City Council aldermen voted to purchase the Bellerive Eastside Squash Centre for more than $900,000 in a closed council meeting last month. Under the deal the squash centre operators will lease the site from the council for $5000 a year.

Squash centre junior development manager Mark Hudson said if the council hadn’t picked up the site it likely would’ve been sold to developers and turned into apartments.

“The sale enables us to improve certain aspects of the centre,” he said.

“We’ll now be able to hold international events which will be great for the growing numbers we’re seeing taking up the sport.”

Clarence Alderman Richard James said the closed-door vote on the purchase highlighted a lack of transparency and accountability afforded to ratepayers.

“This decision – I feel – slaps of lack of transparency and accountability in the use of public funds at a local government level,” Alderman James said.

“There was no opportunity for the public to have a say.

“With respect to the squash centre, I would’ve thought the public would want those funds spent across broader community organisations pulling their weight, rather than just to a small group.”

Clarence mayor Doug Chipman said the purchase was decided in a closed meeting so discussion of the sale “didn’t foreshadow the intent to purchase with possible competitors”.

“If there is an arrangement settled in principle it’s a matter of commercial confidence normally,” he said.