Council queries cost of reserves’ upkeep

Press, 25 August 1980, Page 23

Council queries cost of reserves’ upkeep

Paparua County Council staff will have to explain why contractors can care for reserves at half the cost the council can, according to a Paparua County councillor. Cr A. Y. Shuker said at the council’s reserves committee meeting yesterday that he was concerned that the council staff was “jacking up” the costs of mowing the reserves to make ends meet elsewhere. The committee was discussing a report by the council’s reserves superintendent (Mr P. S. Thompson) outlining the costs of having a contractor mow the reserves compared with the cost of council staff doing the work. Other councillors also

wanted to know why it cost the council so much. A report will be made by the staff to the committee at its next meeting. Sauua and spa The possibility of adding a sauna and a spa pool to the squash courts and swimming pool complexes in Sockburn will be investigated by the councils pools’ superintendent (Mr J. Cousins). Cr Shuker suggested that the facilities might be built in conjunction with the existing complexes. Mr Cousins said that he had been thinking of the possibility. Some North Island pools had added saunas and spa pools and were making money from them.