2016-10-17 General Committee Meeting Notes

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                              17 OCTOBER 2016


Closure of the Hall
On 23 October 2015, the Cooroy RSL Board received an electrical safety inspection report which
highlighted a number of public safety concerns. Subsequently at a special meeting on the 10
November 2015 the Board carried a motion that the Hall be closed until such time as the
remedial works identified in the electrical report were carried out and the kitchen and toilet
facilities were bought up to a hygienic and safe standard.
On the 4 December 2015, Council Officers met with the Board to discuss the closure of the Hall
and the Board’s proposal to surrender that part of the DOGIT on which the Hall is located.
At that meeting the Officers made it clear to the Board that Council wanted to play a constructive
role in resolving both of these issues but importantly Council also wanted to resolve the
encroachment and land tenure issues.
On 18 December 2015, the Cooroy RSL commissioned a building report to assess the condition
of the building. The report concluded that the hall was suffering from a number of issues
including structural damage relating to termites and the condition of the roof and sub floor.
While the electrical safety issues identified in the electrical audit have been rectified the Hall
remains closed due to the structural issues identified in the building report and a subsequent
structural engineers report conducted for the RSL on 15 April 2016 by Pellegrene Consulting
Engineers.

Community response to the closure of the Hall
A number of community meetings have been held to discuss the plight of the Hall and a Cooroy
Community Hall Action Group (CCHAG) has been formed to advance the interests of the Hall
and have it reopened.
CCHAG have also met with the Cooroy RSL Board and Council to try to have the Hall reopened.
In discussions with CCHAG to date, Council Officers have stressed that the Cooroy RSL is
currently responsible for the management of the Hall and any decision about reopening or
leasing the Hall has to be made by the RSL.
CCHAG have talked with the RSL Board about leasing the Hall, but these discussions have not
proceeded very far as CCHAG is not incorporated and do not have the funds to bring the Hall up
to an acceptable standard to reopen.

Options for future management and use of the Hall

Over the past few months Council Officers, DNRM and the Cooroy RSL Board have discussed a
number of options to solve the land tenure issues and the long term maintenance and
management of the Hall. These options include:
1.   The RSL sub dividing the DOGIT into two separate lots and surrendering trusteeship of the
     Hall lot to DNRM. Under this option the RSL would then either continue to lease the
     Council freehold land on which the Club encroaches or purchase that parcel of land.
2.   The RSL leasing the Hall directly to an eligible organisation.
3.   Council and DNRM agreeing to a land swap which means that both buildings would be
     contained within the one parcel of land and the RSL continuing to manage both buildings.
4.   The RSL renovating the Hall to use as a function room.
5.   Demolishing the Hall and replacing it with a memorial park. This option could also involve
     moving the Cenotaph (from the eastern side of town) so that all of the town’s war memorial
     functions are in the same central location.
6.   Council becoming trustee for the whole DOGIT. Under this option Council would assume
     responsibility for the Hall and negotiate a new lease with the Cooroy RSL.


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