The proposed joint-use library facility between Hilltops Council and Young High School (Department of Education) appears to have a range of conditions set to be imposed, which may have ramifications on the residents of Young, Harden and Boorowa and the surrounding towns.
Information received by the Times states that Hilltops Council are to contribute $6.5 million dollars, with $1.5 million coming from borrowings from Hilltops Council and serviced by the rate payers of the area.
$3.5 million worth of funding includes the $1.5 million from borrowings and $2 million from the Stronger Communities amalgamation funding. The additional $3 million which totals $6.5 million dollars is effectively being given with one hand and taken back with the other, in the form of an allocation from the Regional Cultural Fund.
The information contains that the facility will be owned by the Department of Education regardless of where it is built, whether it be in Carrington Park or on School Grounds. Which means, Hilltops Council will have no ownership over the impending development.
Hilltops Council and the residents who lie in the shire will not own the building but will be expected to rent back the library and community spaces in the new building.
Mark Wells from the Young Community and Resident’s Association said, “It is currently unknown what the percentage of running and maintenance costs for the building will be.”
It is expected to have a life span of at least 50 years.
Some members of the steering committee have expressed concern as to whether the town of Young and Hilltops Shire may be without access to a library or cultural centre if the Department of Education changes their mind in regard to future use.
Mark said, “This certainly makes the renovation of the current library or a new stand alone library or cultural centre seem like a very good outcome for rate payers, at least we would own and control the asset.”
Carrington Park and the surrounding precinct is of high local, state and even national significance in terms of history and heritage and is currently subject to two heritage applications.
On June 13 The Sydney Morning Herald stated that the Young High School Library Upgrade in the Cootamundra electorate would be receiving a “New Library and community facility at school in Young” under the headline “$6b for NSW schools to deliver 170 new and upgraded schools.”
A figure of over $30 million dollars has been discussed by other media outlets in regards to the entire proposed facility, however, that figure doesn’t appear in this year’s budget, meaning that it may be funded in the next budget.
The SMH information was released before the announcement was made regarding $3 million from the Regional Cultural Fund in the Hilltops Shire office foyer by the local member Steph Cooke and the Deputy Premier of New South Wales John Barilaro on June 14.
Cooke said, “The Regional Cultural Fund had an enormous number of applications from across the State and I am thrilled to see this significant investment in vitally important cultural and social infrastructure coming to my electorate.”
Councillor Tony Wallace stated, “Council is working hard to understand the benefits and intricacies of the joint-use arrangement including the ongoing operating costs of the facility. We want to ensure the joint-use facility will have the best outcome for the community and school students,”
There is no provision in the local government act which pertains to Councils having to provide Primary or Secondary education as part of the legislation which governs them.
The announcement is at odds with what the local member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke released on June 26 which stated, “Hilltops Council were successful in their application for $3 million to develop a joint-use library with Young High School. From the outset, Hilltops Council presented a plan involving a small section of Carrington Park. In consultation with the Cultural Infrastructure Management Office, they can request this location be varied. There’s absolutely nothing in the deed which prevents Council from applying for a change to the location they originally proposed. Other locations which meet the joint- use of the library would be considered.”
However, It appears Council were railroaded into the decision the previous Friday when the business paper was released on Friday June 22 which was dealt with on Wednesday June 27 at Harden. Hilltops Shire Councillors met for their monthly business meeting to deal with 18/104 Acceptance of Regional Cultural Grant. The report stated….It is recommended that Council; 1. Accept the Regional Cultural Fund Grant of $3.0 million for the Joint Use facility with Young High School thereby acknowledging the Joint-use facility as the site for the new Young Public Library; and 2. Delegate to the General Manager to begin negotiations on a Heads of Agreement for the facility……
The Times has been informed that applications for the funding attempted to tie the Council to the joint facility in Young as early as August 2017 before the new Council was elected.
A second application by Hilltops Council effectively tied Hilltops Council to a proposed joint facility with Young Highschool in early 2018. Some Councillors were unaware that this had been the case.
All of this occurred before Council saw a joint use arrangement at a public meeting on June 27 which was voted on at the Harden meeting.
The State Government has cut library funding by 18 percent across New South Wales, however, it appears Young High School will be receiving a very grand facility in the form of a joint use arrangement which appears to be at odds with sections of the community and from within Hilltops Council itself and will be paid for by the rate payer.
The Steering Committee will be holding another meeting on August 28 at 7pm at the Uniting Church in Young.
