Central government requires councils to inspect swimming pools to ensure they’re properly fenced and Council is proposing to introduce a charge to cover the cost of doing this.
In the past, when pools were being inspected at least once in seven years, Council absorbed the cost.
Now the law has been changed so that a third of all pools must be inspected every year; in Marlborough that’s about 480 swimming pools (some of them in pretty remote places) so it will take time and resource to get that done.
It’s estimated this will be an extra $100,000 cost to Council, taking into account staff hours and travel time.
At the moment, the pool audit regime is effectively paid by everyone, whether they have a pool or not. The proposed change means that property owners with pools would cover the cost of inspection through their rates with the costs of each audit spread over three years rather than as a single up-front charge.
There will be a higher inspection fee for pools which do not comply with the legislation.
The Council is considering introducing this change from 1 July this year but before a final decision is made they’re asking for feedback on the matter. Make your view known to councillors by making a submission to the Annual Plan before Wednesday 10 May.
(source: Marlborough District Council)