¶ A SUGGESTION Collie Shire Council was “negligent” in renewing Collie Senior Citizens’ lease at the Margaretta Wilson Centre drew a sharp response at council’s May meeting.
The issue was brought up during public question time after members of the Collie Over-50s Social Club requested council assistance in finding a new venue for its Tuesday meetings.
Over-50s member Patrick Honeywill told council the club had experienced rapid growth in a short period of time, increasing its numbers from 60 to 80, and was “bulging at the seams” at its current Collie Scout Hall meeting place.
Mr Honeywill said the not-for-profit club had “extensively explored various options around town”, including approaching Senior Citizens, however had been unable to find a suitable accommodation due to factors including cost and distance.
“We’re not here to point fingers but really to seek assistance,” Mr Honeywill said.
However, councillor Brett Hansen questioned what was preventing an arrangement between Senior Citizens, which holds a lease at the centre running through to 2029, and the club.
Cr Hansen asked if shire staff had attended the centre on a Tuesday to see if the main hall is being used.
He added that only a side room is being used “by a small group of six or seven people”.
“There’s more to this than meets the eye, and I think us as a council, we probably didn’t look into the lease enough when we passed it through,” Cr Hansen said.
“I believe we’ve been negligent, and I think we as a council should be doing more to help this group out.”
Shire president Ian Miffling noted Senior Citizens has a “legal lease agreement”.
“Council cannot go in over the top of the Senior Citizens’ lease if they are abiding by all provisions of their lease,” Cr Miffling said.
“Only if they void any of the conditions of their lease does the council have the ability to do anything.
“Otherwise, they have peaceful enjoyment. They make their own decisions, make their own rules, within the scope of their lease.”
Cr Miffling asked Cr Hansen, “You tell us what it is to break a lease?”
Cr Hansen observed that “leases get broken every day of the week”.
In a statement made to the Bulletin, the Senior Citizens committee said it believes Cr Hansen “has been misinformed”.
“Some of the things he said were inaccurate,” the committee stated.
“As we informed the club via previous correspondence, they’re welcome to use the facility as members or non-members.
“We cannot facilitate them as a separate club.
“We wish them all the best in finding a suitable premises.”
Other venues looked at by the club include the Collie PCYC, Roche Park Recreation Centre, Energy West Social Club Hall and the North Collie Hall.
However, storage space for club equipment has also proven an issue.
“We’ve had a mixture of responses,” Mr Honeywill said.
“Some of them are too expensive for the community that we have. Some have just rejected us outright.”
Cr Miffling said shire staff have been working in conjunction with the club and will continue to assist.