Councillors concerned by dollar deal reveal

AT least two councillors who originally voted to have Black Swan Lake filled in are disappointed the Gold Coast Turf Club will get use of the prime land for a licence deal worth $1 a year.

The Bulletin has revealed the execution of the licence was under delegated authority by officers after the council vote, with the details never referred back to the councillors.

Of the city’s 14 councillors, Peter Young, Daphne McDonald and Bob La Castra opposed the lake being filled in, with a majority supporting area councillor Gary Baildon, who told them the land was needed to provide car parking for the Gold Coast Show Society.

The Bulletin has asked councillors if they were aware of the licence deal under delegated authority, and given their knowledge now would they have voted differently.

Mayor Tom Tate replied by saying “no comment” but responses have not been received from Cr Baildon, Deputy Mayor Donna Gates, Cameron Caldwell, Kristyn Boulton, Pauline Young, Gail O’Neill and Hermann Vorster.

But both hinterland-based councillor Glenn Tozer and veteran Southport councillor Dawn Crichlow, who supported Cr Baildon, have changed their position.

While Cr Tozer believes the area should remain for equine users and that council had put a lot of effort into maintaining it, he is disappointed with the financial outcome for ratepayers.

“I do not recall the amount, but I expected the mechanism to be a licence or lease. One dollar was less than I anticipated, but not unprecedented,” Cr Tozer told the Bulletin.

Given his knowledge now of the $1 annual fee and asked if he would have agreed with filling in the area, Cr Tozer replied: “Yes, I probably would have. I have previously stated my support for public land in the equine precinct being made available for equine community group users.’’

But Cr Tozer believed the financial deal was “poorly done”.

“I would have second thoughts about offering a $1 licence,” he said.

The Bulletin has been told by property analysts that the 2.8ha prime spot at Bundall, which remains popular for unit redevelopment, was conservatively worth – after upgrades – between $6 million and $12 million.

Cr Crichlow, like other councillors, was not aware of the licence fee. Asked if she would have now agreed to filling in the lake, she said: “No”.

Helensvale-based councillor William Owen-Jones said he would not change his position, maintaining similar fees were arranged for other sporting clubs.