ALBURY Council has been accused of having a secret $12 million plan to upgrade the Lavington Swim Centre.
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A group of pool users have made that claim in a letter to council general manager Frank Zaknich which also raises concerns over the fate of a regional aquatic centre.
Former Albury mayor Stuart Baker and his wife Annette Baker signed the letter alongside Stephen Mamouney, Philip Evans, John Clifford, Michael Ruhbaum and Karen Scannell.
"If it is the case that council intends to overhaul the Lavington Pool at a substantial cost, and we have it on good authority that it is, then we are alarmed that a decision of this magnitude has been taken with no consultation and seemingly in secret," the letter states.
The group cite the figure of $12 million in the letter.
They also query the council's plans for pursuing a new aquatic centre via the federal government's Albury-Wodonga Regional Deal.
NEWS FROM COURT:
Their concern springs from an email sent by the city's pools boss Michael Stanton about the regional aquatic centre investigation.
"Progression of the project will be guided by the determination of Regional Deal priorities, accordingly future meetings of the Albury Aquatics Facilities Advisory Group will be put on hold for the time being," he wrote.
Mr Mamouney, a member of the group, said the July 30 message worried him.
"From my reading of the last email it looked like they weren't going to push the aquatic centre as far as the Regional Deal goes and it would be put on the backburner," he said.
The group's letter states: "The major concern here is that, by spending 12 million dollars on a band aid solution for one outdated pool, we are losing a golden opportunity to build a year-round facility and fix this region's many shortcomings in aquatics infrastructure."
The Border Mail emailed questions on Wednesday to the council, following the letter being delivered.
They included whether there was a $12 million upgrade planned and why the advisory group meetings had been halted.
The council has declined to answer those questions, however deputy chief executive Tracey Squire has sought to arrange a meeting with the group, mayor Kevin Mack and senior city staff.
