At its latest meeting Lithgow Council voted by a clear margin to renew the lease of the heritage listed club house and the course at Marrangaroo.

This will have to be confirmed, however, after allowing a period for public input.

Both the club house and course are owned by council.

In past years there has been vocal opposition by two members of council to the council involvement in maintenance of the course and in anticipation of a repeat performance members of the golf club were in the public gallery to support the application.

Their concern was well placed with a sense of deja vu in the debate.

Council general manager Roger Bailey said the golf club had acquired the Marrangaroo property in 1947 and it had been taken over by council in 1980.

He said that for more than 20 years the golf course and clubhouse has been providing quality recreational facilities for residents and visitors.

There was an initial 21 year lease to the club but since 1950 the lease has been for a five year term which is now due for renewal.

Mr Bailey said it would be necessary for council to advertise the lease renewal to allow for public comment.

The terms of the lease include rental commencing at $6500 per annum and subject to CPI increases, that the club spend a minimum $6500 a year on clubhouse maintenance, and that members undertake work around the course and clubhouse on a voluntary basis.

Mr Bailey also recommended that council endorse the revised statutory plan of management for the facility and place this on public exhibition.

Crs Frank Inzitari and Wayne McAndrew moved adoption of the lease renewal, stating that ‘every good town has a golf course’.

Cr Inzitari said that people who had visited from out of town had ‘raved about the facility’.

“I am proud to support it, even with the kangaroos,” he said.

Deputy mayor Ray Thompson said he would be surprised if any submissions opposed to the plan of management or lease renewal would be received during the public exhibition period.

He said the golf clubhouse was a jewel in the district community.

“It looks great and is well managed,’ he said.

Council staff involvement in maintaining the course meant this is ‘as good as anything outside Sydney’.

“Only last week we had a load of visitors here for a seniors tournament.

“We need these facilities to make Lithgow a strong community,” he said.

Cr Martin Ticehurst opposed the resolution and said that before any lease renewal council should seek advice from ASIC (Australian Securities and Investment Commission).

He claimed the golf facility had cost council $3 million over the past five years.

Cr Ticehurst said this would be the third lease renewal and council was propping up a club that had not expanded or grown in the past 10 years.

“Membership has decreased because of the high cost of playing,” he said.

“We need to get financial and legal advice before proceeding.”

Cr Ticehurst also introduced the new indoor pool to his argument, pointing out that council would be paying out $380,000 a year on the indoor pool loan.

He was supported by Cr Joe McGinnes who said council support for the golf facility had ‘spiralled out of control’.

General manager Roger Bailey refuted as incorrect Cr McGinnes’s claims relating to the cost of water usage at the club.

He said the only town water used was in the clubhouse; the watering of the course was from dams and bores.

The debate was all very familiar to what was experienced in the past relating to golfing leases opposed by the two councillors.

Cr Wayne McAndrew sought to put the debate in context.

He said the Lithgow Golf Club facilities are totally owned by Lithgow Council in the same way as many other sporting and recreational facilities.

“The council is fortunate to have a not for profit organisation to look after our assets,” he said.

“This is a win-win situation for all concerned.

“I am well aware of the cost but I am also well aware of the cost of everything else we provide for sport and recreation in Greater Lithgow.”

The motion was adopted 7-2.

The issue will no doubt again be debated once the public input period expires but a majority of councillors have again made their viewpoint clear.