Dear Beagle Editor
For about 8 weeks now, Fight for Batemans Bay's 50m Pool team has been waiting on release of the so called 'structural audit report' referred to in council's preferred Queensland based consultant Otium's Aquatic Strategy Report.
The hold up of the release of this 'report' was that Council had written to the engineering firm who prepared the report requesting a 'legal' letter releasing council from liability in relation to 'copyright/intellectual law' although we are unaware of the content of the letter written. Council considers these sorts of matters to be 'commercial in confidence'. So we have been waiting all this time for council to receive such a letter so that they (council) could release the 'report' to the public. NOTE: Several weeks ago, we were informed by Mayor Innes that 'most' of the councillors didn't have a problem with releasing the report.
We were subsequently advised that, once council receives the 'legal' letter from the engineering firm, the matter will then come before council for council (councillors) to determine whether or not to release the 'report'.
Why would this seemingly operational matter have to go back to council?
Last night the Director of Infrastructure, whilst attending a public meeting in Batemans Bay, confirmed in fact that the 'report' we were seeking is NOT a 'structural audit report' as described in Otium's report and was IN FACT merely a 'site inspection report'. When asked had council received the 'legal' letter he said 'we should know something by next week'.
So this morning, we rang the engineering firm to see how they were going with the 'legal' letter. We were advised that in fact council already has this letter which was supposedly provided last week.
Why the Director of Infrastructure did not relay this exciting news to us last night is a mystery.
We now wait with much anticipation for council's advice in relation to the release of this 'site inspection report' to the public. Hopefully, we will have it in our possession before the next public meeting on 29th May 2018 at the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club.
Over to you Councillors - or should we say Director of Infrastructure.
OUR TOWN OUR SAY Name and address supplied
