Six individuals submitted questions for this week’s council meeting with similar feelings: what did the council know about the intention to charge lane hire fees before awarding the contract to Aligned Leisure, and how is the company being held to account?

O&M Aquatics Action Group member Jack Baker questioned if the council knew Aligned Leisure believed extra fees were already being charged, even though they were not actually being passed onto the pool groups.

“The council understood at the time of awarding the contract to Aligned Leisure that pool lane hire fees were being charged at its Wodonga facilities,” Ms Harrington said.

“A schedule of the fees and charges were part of the tender documents.”

She maintained it was the correct decision to charge groups to both enter facilities and reserve the pool or certain lanes for themselves.

“The council has a role in ensuring the community’s interests in maintaining the use of community facilities to the benefit of all users,” she said.

“It remains the council’s position that any user group that requires exclusive use of part or all of any community facility enter into an agreement with financial terms that grants them that dedicated space.”

The extra fees have been temporarily waved for the 2018-19 season as debate continues.

John Clifford also questioned Aligned Leisure’s decision to invoice the Albury Swim Club directly for lifesaving services, “potentially transferring any liability for any injury or death onto unpaid volunteer club officials for lifesaving services they have no ability to control”.

“The council is satisfied with Aligned Leisure’s approach to the provision of lifeguards at its facility,” Ms Harrington said.

“The contract mandates that agreements be in place for any user group hiring the facility.”