New Wave of Management

FOR more than 13 years the Jenkinson family have run the Scone swimming pool and for a time Murrurundi pool, but they were recently given the news that they were unsuccessful in their tender, advised they had 14 days to vacate and a cheaper Sydney based company will now run the Scone, Murrurundi and Merriwa pools.

Ben Jenkinson said the news was a blow to his family, but they wanted to thank the local community for all the support they have received while running the pool.

“We consider Scone home, my parents and my brother lives there and ran the Scone pool, it’s where we all return for Christmas and I remember when we first took over how great people were to us holding our baby while we taught swimming and it is emotional to leave,” said Mr Jenkinson.

“What is really difficult is we were told it was based on price and the Council has a very short corporate memory,” he said.

“Some years there was absolutely no budget for maintenance, but we would always make it work,” he said.

“And when they came to us cap in hand because they couldn’t run the Murrurundi pool we helped them out,” he said.

“Under Sue at Murrurundi I don’t think that pool has ever looked better and it is a shame she also lost her tender to the Sydney company,” he said.

Wayne Bedggood, Mayor of the Upper Hunter Shire Council and Blandford Public School students Angus Speck, 10, Oliver Cornall, 10, Jack Teague, 12, and Charlotte Brooks, 12 at the Murrurundi and District War Memorial Swimming Pool.

“On the budget they set for the pools I don’t know how a company based in Sydney will be able to be as dedicated to the community and go the extra mile,” he said.

“It is difficult when we think about how we extended the hours of the pool for schools, loved helping kids succeed at swimming and often working for no dollars,” he said.

“But when you run a pool it is all about community and seeing kids go well with swimming, or seeing everyone come in on a hot day and have a good time as a community,” he said.

“Nowadays with the bigger firms coming in and taking over groups of smaller pools Swimming Australia is seeing the impact, especially in regional areas, where there isn’t the dedication to developing young swimmers.

“The local swimming club is going really well and we really enjoyed working with them,” he said.

“The Merriwa pool was run by Council staff and it was costing a lot of money compared to Scone and Murrurundi, so I am sure they will save costs there and I hope I am proved wrong and the Sydney based company will have the same level of commitment to the community,” he said.

“We just really want to thank all of the local people who were part of our lives for so many years and Scone will always be considered our home,” Ben Jenkinson said.

Council was asked for comment on matter, specifically if the Sydney based company had run public pools before but did not provide any information at the time of publication.