Bendigo Council to Review Winter Fees for East Pool

A report to be considered at the April Council Meeting recommends Council support a request from the Bendigo East Swimming Pool Committee of Management to raise winter season entry fees by 30 per cent.

The City of Greater Bendigo and the Committee agreed in February 2024 to transition Bendigo East Swimming Pool to a seasonal pool in April 2024, due to rising utility costs and the Committee not being able to operate the pool within the current budget.

However, in the last month the Committee has completed some modelling on reduced hours

and changes in fees and charges to alter their operating model, with the immediate

focus on sustaining operations through winter 2024.

Council has a role in setting the fees and charges for the services it supports, so to enable the Committee to alter specific fees and charges, Council must first approve this.

The fees and charges are considered one source of revenue for the Committee. Yet the report to Council notes "there are still significant risks to financial viability for the Committee", even with the proposed fee change.

As part of the report's recommendation, it confirms Council's annual financial commitment to the Committee in 2024/2025 is $191,700.

The winter season is set to start on Monday May 13 and run until mid-September. The proposed change in winter fees would only apply to this outdoor swimming pool service at Bendigo East Swimming Pool.

All other fees and charges for the 2024/2025 financial year will be set as part of the 2024/2025 Budget.

Engagement undertaken by the Committee with pool users found 94 per cent of those surveyed, 586 people out of a total of 623, said they would pay the increased cost.

It is important to note the 30 per cent increase is based on the 2022/2023 charges, as the 2023/2024 fees that had been increased by 6.25% had not been introduced by the Committee.

The proposed changes are: