Dear Zoë Baker
It has been over 5 months since North Sydney Badminton Club’s detailed an accurate assessment of the mismanagement for the North Sydney ‘s Public indoor sports hall based on the limited data made available via the GIPA and forwarded that to you . Gary Parson’s response (attached) was deeply disappointing. It fails to address almost all of the issues of concern and supports none of his own assertions with evidence.
Albert Lo back in November outlined the terms of reference that the council would use to investigate this matter.
1· We have requested the utilisation figures for the last 6 years for review
2· We have requested supporting documents from their booking systems for review
3· We have requested clarification on what is “multi-sport”
4· We suggest an improved or better booking system which allows Council to have better visibility to monitor the utilisation situation continuously
Little of this is apparent in Gary’s written response to us.
1./2. Given that there has been no change in the NSBA’s policy: No access after 3.30pm for sports other than Basketball. It seems impossible that there has been a turnaround in the utilisation figure that we reviewed from 2022/2023. This is evidenced by the “New Booking System” which allows only a rolling 7 days in advance booking for only weekday mid mornings and mid-afternoons. This provides no access to working peoples playing sports other than Basketball and no opportunity for clubs to run regular operations. It would seem mathematically impossible to achieve 22% utilisation for non-basketball sport under these circumstances. We would be very pleased if we can arrange a time to sit down with the council and go through the figures to see how they have arrived at this utilisation.
Padel tennis is not played in the sports hall but there is a regular Pickleball club that runs on a Monday from 9.30am to 11.30am a time that does not conflict with the Multi-Sport basketball coaching for the private schools in the area. We first recommended this avenue of enquiry to the pickleball club at the beginning of last year so it is heartening that it has actually got off the ground for these retirees.
Measuring Actual bookings rather than potential booking is key in assessing the data. Given that NSBA only allow other sports to play at the least popular times and does not accommodate other clubs regular booking slots it is not possible for them to meet there obligation under their lease. Without club engagement it is not possible to fill excess timeslots caused by NSBA limited business model.
I would be pleased to be proved wrong when we see the data requested in our on-going GIPA request.
3. Gary’s letter makes no mention of “Multi-sport” but it is this that NSBA uses to categorize its reciprocal agreements with the public and private schools in the area. Trading early morning and late afternoon basketball coaching services and school time motor skills for banket use of school facilities at night times for their basketball competitions. It is these arrangements that have decimated sports clubs across the North Sydney Area excluding them from the sports halls of schools at night time. As Multi-Sport has accounted for 12% of utilisation in the past a clear understanding of what it constitutes is key in understanding whether NSBA is adhering to its commitments to the community or not.
4. There is no change to Hall access brought about by NSBA’s revamped booking System. It continues discriminating against working people wishing to engage in club sports and clearly works in violation of the council’s commitment to provide for all in our community, serving the elite schools and out of borough basketballers.
North Sydney badminton Club has engaged fully with the Open Space and Recreation Needs Study and called on them to compare the Recreation Needs Study 2015 and report on how many of the indoor sport clubs identified in that are still currently operating in North Sydney.
Gary's response would seem to be a further attempt to kick the can down the road. The time it has taken to reply with this “minimum effort response” would seem to make it clear that council has no intention to meet its obligation to the local ratepayers and provide the services it is obligated to provide. It would rather protect the interest of one business entity.
We eagerly await the evidence of our new GIPA request with the intention of taking that to the NSW Ombudsman.
Kind regards
Simon Crawford North Sydney Badminton Club.