COUNCIL will talk to Southern Moreton Bay Island residents before finalising a new deal with the state government to operate the island's swimming pool.
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Councillors supported a request from Cr Mark Edwards to engage residents prior to the expiry in April next year of a memorandum of understanding with the Education Department, which owns the Bay Island Aquatic Centre.
The decision came after Russell Island residents Alison Laing and Gina Swannell addressed councillors to ask for the pool to be open longer hours.
Ms Laing said the pool was open to the public 32 hours a week.
At some times during the week it is available only to schools.
"We are locked out more hours than we are allowed in," she said.
Ms Laing, representing the Friends of Russell Island Swimming Pool group, said residents wanted the pool - which closes after the April school holidays until the start of the September school holidays - to be open in winter.
She said the garden around the pool needed to be maintained and ants were a problem.
Cr Edwards said the state government owned the pool but council operated it.
"Following today’s decision we will engage with the Southern Moreton Bay Islands community about their needs in relation to the future use of the pool," he said.
The facility had provided a place for many island children to learn to swim over the years.
Deputy mayor Lance Hewlett said under the deal, the department had priority use of the pool for education purposes.
"The pool may be opened for community use outside of those times,” Cr Hewlett said.
"The agreement was formalised in 2015 and stipulates that council will operate and manage the pool in accordance with the terms and conditions set out within the agreement."
Cr Wendy Boglary said the Education Department needed to be involved in the consultation but Cr Edwards said council could only invite them to take part.
Cr Edwards said council had trialled extending the school holiday hours - when the pool was not required by the Education Department - to 84 hours per week, opening from 6.30am to 6.30pm every day.
"This is an increase over the 69 hours that were in operation last season, with only a small increase in patron intensity," he said.
"The minor increase in patronage did not support the additional operational costs incurred by council."
Cr Edwards said the costs, staff rostering and level of use during the trial were being reviewed.
