A motion authorising the council's chief executive to negotiate and finalise an additional year on the contract beyond June 30, 2023, was rejected at Monday night's council meeting.

Instead, councillor Jess Kellahan successfully moved that the authorisation be deferred "until further clarification is sought".

"We don't give contracts to people or corporations, they apply through a tendering process, I think if Aligned Leisure are the winning tenderer then I'm okay with that, however they should be going through the same process as any other contractor," Cr Kellahan said.

She noted the pools contract was bound with Wodonga Council, but said Albury Council needed "to uphold what is ethically correct, even if it is unfavourable".

Wodonga Council on Monday night discussed a pools contract extension in a confidential session at its meeting.

Councillor David Thurley said Albury would not be in breach of its tender processes in extending the existing contract.

He said it would be "sensible" given that the council was planning to lengthen Albury's pool opening from early September to late June 2023 as part of a trial.

"The last thing we would want is a tender which takes three months to sort out who becomes the successful tenderer, we already have a company that knows how to run the joint," Cr Thurley said.

"Yes there can be some criticisms of what they've done and how they've done but all we're doing here is extending their contract for a period of 12 months."

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In reply to questions from councillor Ashley Edwards, Albury Council's business and lifestyle service leader Ambrose Glass raised concerns of a contract misalignment with Wodonga and said a deal without that city could preclude some larger operators and leave smaller suitors having to build-in additional costs to cover labour.

Asked if it would be impossible to revert to the pools being managed internally by the council, Mr Glass said "it's not impossible, but extremely challenging", citing the need to find those skilled for the task.

Councillor Stuart Baker, who lead opposition to Aligned Leisure's plan to introduce lane fees after it took control in 2018, supported Cr Kellahan's stance, saying he had not been briefed adequately on an extension.

"I think it's prudent and very, very good management.....I can't see the point of rushing in," Cr Baker said.

In summing up, Cr Kellahan added to Cr Thurley's reference to Aligned Leisure's actions.

"Aligned Leisure is not a proven entity, it is not a sure bet and there has been much criticism," she said.

"The trial will finish, as will the contract in June 2023, and any successful applicant could accommodate a longer season with a year's planning time for 2024."

Under the extended season supported on Monday night, the council agreed to a maximum additional investment of $200,000 to cover the variation.

The trial's success will also be predicated on at least 500 weekly visits occurring during the extra opening period.

Councillor Daryl Betteridge said community feedback had reflected a demand for the longer season.

"If the community supports it, it will continue, if the community doesn't support it, then we'll have the information," he said.

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