On Monday’s front page of the News, former deputy mayor and president of Bowral Ratepayers Association Nick Campbell-Jones slammed Council for not making the October 2009 draft report public.

A failed leisure centre campaigner, Mr Campbell-Jones obtained a copy of the Bowral Pool draft report through Freedom of Information.

He said he believed the Leisure Centre campaign was lost because of a scare campaign over costs estimated at more than $16 million.

On Thursday, when contacted by the News, Council issued a brief run-down of the almost 25-year bid to have a covered swimming facility.

But in response to Monday’s article Council general manager Jason Gordon and mayor Duncan Gair have provided a more detailed response on the Bowral Pool investigations.

Mr Gordon said, to date, Councillors and staff have been involved in the following discussion regarding strategies for the swimming centres:

July 8, 2009 - Information Session with councillors to review the Ninnes Fong and Partners condition report of swimming centres and operational matters for the coming season.

September 9, 2009 - Council report tabled on an options study for the provision of indoor swimming facilities at Bowral Swimming Centre.

October 28, 2009 - Information session held with the consultant (Facility Design Group) and councillors to seek direction on the options presented.

Cr Gair said it was at the September 9 meeting that Council resolved in part to

"... undertake an options study for the provision of indoor swimming facilities at the Bowral Swimming Centre".

"We requested that a further report come back to us before the end of the year to ensure that the consultant was heading in the right direction," he said.

"At the October 28 information session, the consultant reviewed a draft working document with councillors, which had figures around $11 million, but it was not a confidential document.

"Councillors handed back their copies because the document was irrelevant until the final report, and more up-todate figures, come to Council for consideration."

The consultant will finalise drawings and associated reports, and a report for the Bowral Pool Options Study should be presented to the Ordinary Council meeting on March 24.