Roads, rates, rubbish. The old saying describing the basic roles of council not only has a familiar ring to it but hints in its brevity at what is most essential.
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Residents pay the rates and in exchange they get some basic services. If there is one recurrent criticism of councils since amalgamation nearly 20 years ago it is that despite increased revenue from larger rating areas, they have not improved those basic services to a level expected by residents. Ballarat Council has not been alone in being targeted for such criticism.
Glorious utopian plans for a city will carry little credibility when the capacity to deliver the basics is found wanting. However the fundamental business of council extends a lot further than this simple trio and in the complex realm of asset management few services can be seen as more basic or more valued as public swimming pools. As such, The Courier applauds the council resuming responsibility for community pools.
The Eureka pool is one of its most loved assets. The clamour of public outrage this newspaper fielded when the McKenzie family was displaced from managing the pool almost three years ago is a reminder of just how importantly they are held by the public.
Running these facilities to their optimum therefore should be a high priority for council not only for their own sake but also because how much it contributes to the perception of council performance.
If there is one reason why the closure of the Black Hill Pool has had such resonance in the areas around North Ballarat, it is that, like the local park, these are seen by neighbouring communities as a key local asset.
An elite indoor aquatic centre on the other side of town cannot hold the same place in people’s hearts as that sunny Aussie icon “just down the road” toward which children in thongs, bedecked with towels and smiles traipse on a summer day.
The sense of ownership is justifiable and is a key positive that helps build the concept of community.
That these services are free or low cost is further reason for residents to perceive them as some of the most valuable assets the council manages.
What underpins this view is that no one would expect them to make a profit or have their worth measured on their financial viability.
The council will soon appoint an aquatic services team leader to oversee two remaining outdoor pools in its care. How these pools are managed will be watched by the public with intense interest.
