This appears to be just another off load it now strategy

Media Release
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Clr Larry Whipper putting his support behind Clr Duncan Gair’s call for a more considered approach to the future of the Bowral Golf Course said “ It would be highly irresponsible to just hand over the Community’s most valuable asset to a private enterprise without at least considering other options and or ways of maintaining the Golf Course for public use”.

There have been claims that Councillors who have adopted this stand are trying to kill Golf in the Highlands. “This is preposterous! The current proposal does very little more than allow the land to be tied up for around 21 years, possibly for private and personal financial gain. It does not absolve Council and therefore the Community from liability and maintenance responsibilities however”.

“This appears to be just another off load it now strategy, by some Councillors. Like the proposed land sales, there has not been a lot of thought about future consequences.
It is knee-jerk stuff and does not resemble an entrepreneurial attitude in the least. The public meeting in Bowral Hall certainly did have a strong position for retention of the Golf course and there may be alternate ways of meeting everybody’s needs. The important thing is that we need to look at the big picture, not just jump to the dictates of self-interest. Council needs to look in detail at the potential impacts of their decisions and listen to the whole community, not just as some Coucillors have pointed out, those who make the loudest noise”.

Council, not necessarily by any fault, is now in a very uncomfortable financial position. “ The Grange experience, if nothing else, should have taught us that rushing in to decisions may not always be the most appropriate thing to do, even if there are promises of gold attached to sales pitch of those who stand to gain personal profit, above the collective good”.

“Like the call to flog off our community land, I believe that the rush to hand over a valuable community asset, with minimal consideration to the potential future consequences is very dangerous. Calls to just get on with it, may be expedient and suit the platform of some, but what remains is the still unanswered question; is it in the community’s overall best interest. It is my hope that the working group, formed by resolution of Council, will be allowed to do it’s job without any vested pressure being bought to bear”.

“It is my hunch however, that we will see a recession motion come forward to echo the rumblings of at least one private developer in the shire on this matter. In the interests of the ratepayer of the shire, I do hope I am wrong