WALLSEND MP Sonia Hornery said today that a Labor state government would commit $220,000 to pay for solar-powered heating of Beresfield pool.
However the announcement continues Ms Hornery's arguments with Newcastle City Council over the private management of the council's pools, saying NSW Labor's pledge to end privatisation should be honoured by "all levels of government".
Earlier this month, the council announced $400,000 in pool heating upgrades for Wallsend and Mayfield pools. That announcement included a pledge the council "remains committed to providing high-quality aquatic facilities at Lambton, Wallsend, Beresfield, Mayfield and Stockton" pools.
This afternoon, Ms Hornery accused the council of a failed campaign to close Beresfield pool, and criticised the council's call late last year for tenders to operate all pools, including Beresfield, which was "still unresolved".
"I look forward to the issue of the pool's operation being resolved so that these fantastic staff and organisations can have some certainty, and for NSW Labor's pledge to end privatisation to be honoured by all levels of government," Ms Hornery said.
"With that in mind, I urge all councillors to seriously consider taking back all of the council pools back under public operation."
A dispute between Ms Hornery and Newcastle's Labor councillors became public knowledge in October last year when the Newcastle Herald reported on an ALP branch resolution expressing "deep concern with the recent behaviour of Sonia Hornery, including the disrespect and poor treatment of Labor councillors ... "
Ms Hornery had told the Herald she was "frequently contacted by constituents concerned about substandard maintenance to our local pools", while Newcastle's Labor Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes, accused the Wallsend Labor MP of "making false and untrue statements".
Ms Hornery said today that she had "long held concerns about the fate of Beresfield pool".
"Beresfield pool users deserve to have the best quality facilities on par with those in other areas of the Local Government Area such as Lambton or Mayfield," Ms Hornery said.
She met yesterday afternoon with members of the Beresfield Baracudas swimming club, and with families whose children had learned to swim at the Joy of Water Swim School.
Joy of Water operator Walter Ellem said today that the school was at capacity, and that any opportunity to extend the swimming season through heating the pool would be "a huge opportunity".
In November, he had raised concerns about the call for tenders at Beresfield, where the business rents lanes from the council.
He said a similar process at MidCoast with Tea Gardens pool cost his operation there.
"They want their staff to do it, not us," Mr Ellem said in November. "It just makes it really hard for outside people to hire the lanes.
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