Council aquatic recreation centres (ARC) provide important health, wellbeing and social benefits to the community and require significant investment and ongoing council support to maintain. As a result, councils must ensure that they are well planned in order to maximise social outcomes and minimise costs.
Councils must effectively engage with the community on existing and future aquatic recreation centre (ARC) developments to determine whether facilities meet current and future community needs. Councils also need to evaluate their services to determine whether they are achieving their strategic objectives. Sport and Recreation Victoria (SRV) provides support to councils' ARC developments through grants and the provision of facility development advice.
Aquatic recreation centres (ARC) are diverse active social spaces that contribute to local economies, and provide job and income opportunities. Council ARCs provide important health, wellbeing and social benefits to the community.
Aquatic recreation centres (ARC) are diverse active social spaces that contribute to local economies, and provide job and income opportunities. They have developed beyond being basic pools to incorporate water play areas, hydrotherapy and attached gym facilities offering fitness classes. Childcare facilities are also sometimes co-located with modern ARCs. While these additions can make facilities more attractive to customers, they also increase building and maintenance costs. The relatively low return on investment means the private sector has limited interest in this area.
|
Dr Peter Frost Acting Auditor-General |
Audit team Andrew Evans—Engagement Leader Sheraz Siddiqui—Team Leader Sophie Fisher—Analyst Engagement Quality Control Reviewer Kyley Daykin |
Dear Presiding Officers
Under the provisions of section 16AB of the Audit Act 1994, I transmit my report on the audit Local Government Service Delivery: Recreational Facilities.
This audit assessed whether councils effectively identify community needs for recreational facilities and services, whether council planning decisions for aquatic recreation centres are soundly based and whether councils are maximising value from these facilities.
The audited councils effectively engage with their communities and have a sound understanding of their needs relating to aquatic recreational centres (ARCs). This informs planning for ARC redevelopments and the establishment of new facilities.
Relevant and reliable performance information is essential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of council services and decision-making.
In this audit we assessed if the Local Government Performance Reporting Framework (LGPRF) communicates performance information that is relevant, timely, accurate and easy to understand for councils and the community. We also examined how councils use the LGPRF to improve their performance and if councils’ other performance activities, such as reporting on strategic objectives and benchmarking are effective.