2016-10-17 GC Agenda - Att 1 to Item 7 - Electric Bus Trial Lease Agreement

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                               11 OCTOBER 2016


6                        NOOSA AQUATIC CENTRE AND NOOSA LEISURE CENTRE FEES AND CHARGES
                         REVISIONS
DOCUMENT INFORM AT ION




Author                           Community Facilities Manager, Ash Saward
                                 Community Services Department

Index                            ECM/ Subject/ 72.02 Noosa Aquatic Centre

Attachments                      Nil.


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Community Facilities Manager, to the Services & Organisation
Committee meeting dated 11 October 2016 and endorse the revised fees and charges schedule
and membership structure for the Noosa Aquatic Centre and the Noosa Leisure Centre as provided
in the report.


REPORT
1.                       Background

The fees and charges pricing structure at the Noosa Aquatic Centre (NAC) is currently complex
and often confusing, particularly with regard to membership offerings. There are over 30 different
membership categories available for purchase and benchmarking has shown that in many cases
they are too expensive to be competitive in the local market.

There is also significant inequity in the level of discount applied for concession entry and
inconsistency is also prevalent in the application of discounts for patrons who buy multiple entries
in bulk via 10 and 20 session visit passes (VP). The NAC service review highlighted these issues
and recommended they be addressed.

Work is currently being performed on the Noosa Leisure Centre (NLC) service review and as such,
a majority of its fees and charges will remain as is until the completion of the review. That said,
there are some fees that should align with the NAC’s and therefore it is proposed that the fees for
group fitness (GF) visit passes and NLC memberships be revised in line with the NAC’s fees.

Patrons are sensitive to pricing changes and therefore any amendments to fees and charges need
to be well thought through before implementation. Previous experience also indicates that frontline
staff should be involved in the process so they can address any enquiries or complaints regarding
changes.

Taking the above points into consideration, management elected not to rush the development of
new fees and charges and attempt implementation at the beginning of the 2016/17 financial year
but instead earmarked an implementation date of 1 January 2017. This date will also align the
launch of a simplified and more competitive membership offering with the arrival of new gym
equipment at the NAC.




                                                                                     Page 29 of 52