NSW Touch Association general manager Dean Russell has played a dead bat when asked about Port Macquarie's chances of regaining the NSW Junior State Cup northern conference.
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The Port Macquarie News has reported that drainage works at Tuffins Lane may take two years to complete.
However, Mr Russell says that the delivery timeline will neither help nor hinder the region's chances of securing the three-day junior touch football carnival from 2024-2026, as long as there is evidence of work starting.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has voted to "consider" including funding for the detailed drainage design works, to the value of $200,000, in the draft 2023-2024 operational plan and budget.
With the two-year timeframe to fall in the middle of the next three-year tender period, the timing is not the best.
"We've had a long relationship with Port Macquarie council and I can't remember in my history in the sport where they've ever been dishonest with us," Mr Russell said.
"They've always been upfront, open and honest about any aspect we've dealt with them on, so I wouldn't think this would be any different.
"It's not like we would need to say 'we're not taking you at your word and we're not believing you until we see the ground move'."
However, there are other factors which come into the overall decision which will be made by NSW Touch when determining the successful tender.
"Any project like the one to fix the drainage are not quick fixes and they do take time for the process to go through, especially from a government agency," Mr Russell said.
"Our tender process has a lot of levels to it. There's a lot of different criteria we look at when determining where best to take any event of ours.
"The drainage is an issue, but it's not the only consideration we take into account when looking at a tender process for a NSW Touch event."
Tender applications for the 2024-2026 northern and southern conference junior tournaments are currently open with a decision to be made on the successful venue by the end of April.
Councillors' debate
Councillor Sharon Griffiths moved an amended motion at the March 16 council meeting, which was ultimately lost, which would have seen no funding for detailed designs for drainage works included in the draft 2023-2024 operational plan and budget.
Councillor Lauren Edwards spoke in support of the lapsed motion.
"We need to weigh this up against all the other sporting projects," she said.
Mayor Peta Pinson spoke against the motion and said she was "blown away by the rationale behind this".
"We have actually seen a report in the Port News criticising this council and previous councils for their lack of progress with our sporting infrastructure," she said.
"This is about investing in our community."
Councillor Adam Roberts agreed: "To not invest in this infrastructure would be disappointing for our community and sporting community."
Councillor Rachel Sheppard spoke in support of Cr Griffiths' motion.
"I understand that speaking in support of this motion there might be the perception that I'm speaking against infrastructure but I don't believe that's the case," she said.
"We have a recreational action plan to understand what our community wants and we have a list of sporting infrastructure priorities that have been developed and notably on neither of those is Tuffins Lane."
Councillor Lisa Intemann echoed Cr Sheppard: "We have got too many things on our recreation action plan that we haven't been able to decide what the priorities are."
Cr Intemann said the costs of fixing the drainage issues will "involve significant fill on that land because it is so low".
Councillor Josh Slade said council should look at the potential of capitalising on Tuffins Lane for the community and sporting groups.
"We should be doing everything we can to keep these big sporting events here," he said.
Following Cr Griffiths' lapsed amendment, Cr Sheppard moved her foreshadowed motion to consider including funding for the detailed design works to the value of $200,000 in the draft 2023-2024 operational plan and budget.
The motion also includes requesting the CEO to prepare a communications plan to all stakeholder user groups outlining the steps involved in the proposed drainage works, the estimated timeframe, estimated costs, known risks, and potential impacts on the delivery of other sporting infrastructure priorities.
"There has been no consultation with our community to proceed with this $3 million in sporting infrastructure that is not identified in our priorities," Cr Sheppard said.
"The processing costs require $3.1 million in total and that's $200,000 initially for a detailed design.
"The community hasn't been informed of the impacts this would have on delivery of other sporting infrastructure."
Councillor Nik Lipovac spoke in support of the motion.
"I do understand the concerns raised over a significant financial investment," he said.
"This allows us to communicate our plan to all stakeholders and make an informed decision on how we move forward."
The motion also includes requesting that should council determine to include the funding for the detailed design works to the value of $200,000 in the draft 2023-2024 operational plan and budget that the communications plan be implemented as part of the public exhibition of the draft operational plan, to facilitate informed community feedback on the proposal to progress drainage works.
Council will also receive a further report in regards to the outcome of consultation on this matter, as part of the draft operational plan engagement report.
The motion was carried, with Crs Lisa Intemann, Nik Lipovac, Lauren Edwards, Rachel Sheppard, Josh Slade, Danielle Maltman, Adam Roberts and Peta Pinson in support and Cr Sharon Griffiths against.
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