License Agreement - Bernie Mullane Sports Complex

Submissions Close 23 December 2020

At the Ordinary Meeting of 24 November 2020, Council resolved to alter its earlier decision to award a multi stage licence for a combined period of 20 years to Hills Basketball Association Inc. (HBA) and instead, award a licence for a term up to 5 years. 

Following the Ordinary Meeting of Council of the 22 September 2020, Council received 25 formal public submissions and emails covering similar issues in response to the exhibition of the proposed licence agreement. The submissions relate to concerns regarding the loss of existing sports and/or user groups being replaced by basketball, and responses to the individual comments are summarised in the Council Report. In summary, there were also concerns about:

• the loss of the existing gym, fitness classes, loss of existing staff and badminton,
• location of the proposed pool, and
• hire arrangements for existing hirer Soccerjoeys or other basketball users who hire courts.

Please note that the key aims and objectives of the licence agreement requires that the operator ensure that the range of programs and activities conducted at the premises:

a. maintain as a minimum, the existing levels of usage and activities;

b. ensure full access by the community for a range on internal sporting activities from various sports such as but not limited to gymnasium, fitness programs, basketball, soccer, futsal, badminton etc. that currently occur in the venue.

Hills Basketball Association has confirmed all existing sports and activities will meet the requirements of the EOI specifications. They will consult with existing users during the transition period as soon as the EOI process is finalised and there is clarification around the current operating procedures, timetables and scheduling, payment arrangements and details of existing user groups etc. The courts will also be available for hire on an hourly basis for casual users.

The full Council report and specifications for the operator are available as attachments on this page.

Resolution

1. In accordance with Section 47A of the Local Government Act 1993, Council notify and exhibit for 28 days a proposal to grant a licence to the Hills Basketball Association Inc. to operate the Bernie Mullane Sporting Complex for up to 5 years including stage 1 works.
2. If no negative submissions are received, the General Manager be authorised to enter into a licence agreement with Hills Basketball Association Inc. for a maximum term of 5 years as detailed in this report.
3. When the detailed designs and approvals for Stage 2 works are finalised and the Masterplan/Plan of Management is updated, a further report will be brought to Council to consider and exhibit the Stage 2 license for the longer term up to a maximum of 20 years in total.
4. If Stage 2 does not proceed, a report will be brought to Council to consider ongoing management options as outlined in the report of 22 September 2020 (Attachment 1 ECM Document No. 19188031).

Submissions have now closed.