A swim school operator says the decision on the management of Beresfield pool will likely be too far away for him to be able to run next season.
Walter Ellem from Joy of Water swim school rents lanes at Beresfield pool from council. He says he would normally be looking to hire staff at this time of the year ahead of the pool re-opening for spring.
However a decision is pending on whether Beresfield pool will be leased to a private operator.
Management arrangements were due to be determined prior to the 2023/24 financial year, but City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath said a final decision was likely in August.
The matter was put to the elected council in May, but Labor councillors declared conflicts of interest meaning a quorum couldn't be reached and the decision was delegated to the CEO. A rescission motion by Liberal and Greens councillors against that decision was put and lost at the June 27 council meeting.
Mr Bath said his decision "will not be influenced by the financial needs of a privately operated swim school such as the Joy of Water".
"It's worth noting Beresfield Pool doesn't reopen for another three months and so the decision by Joy of Water to withdraw from Beresfield seems a little premature," he said.
"It will be at the future pool operator's discretion as to who should run the learn to swim classes at Beresfield.
"I do however note that BlueFit allowed private swim schools to operate at Lambton Pool this year."
Mr Ellem said he had not decided to withdraw just yet, but a decision in August would likely not be enough time to hire and train staff before the pool opens in September.
"Because the pool closes for six months, we lose all our staff and have to re-hire," he said.
"Sometimes the old staff come back.
"If they have no qualification we put them through a weekend course, then they do 20 hours of volunteer time so they don't have to have a supervising teacher in the class with them."
Mr Ellem said he had been contacted by families wanting to know if he will be back, and usually started taking enrolments in August.
He said he was hesitant to make plans after having to withdraw his school from Tea Gardens pool because MidCoast council leased the aquatic centre to YMCA, which set up its own learn-to-swim classes.
"It makes it hard when you've got $2500-$3000 in invoices to pay on the gamble you're going to be able to operate," he said.
"We're probably going to end up winding it up."
Mr Bath said his decision would be "based on value for money and enhancing the customer experience".
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