Clarence Valley Council (CVC) has resolved to call tenders for the maintenance and operation of the Maclean Sports Centre. The decision, taken in a confidential session at last week’s council meeting, includes continuing the current temporary management of the centre by Valley Pool Services P/L at a cost of “$5,700 per month until such time that the successful tenderer takes occupation of the facility”. The decision was made in a confidential session because the report to council contained “information that would, if disclosed, confer a commercial advantage on a person with whom the council is conducting (or proposes to conduct) business”. Former management of the centre came to an acrimonious end amid disputes over defects in the building, which included several significant leaks that flooded parts of the centre during rain events. The former centre manager was paying the council around $23,000 a year to carry out their business. Subsequently, the council decided to bring the centre in line with others at Yamba and Grafton, where the council pays the occupants to manage the centres. At the Raymond Laurie Sports Centre in Yamba, CVC pays the centre’s operator around $120,000 per annum and the operator retains 50 per cent of the booking fees and 100 per cent of the canteen take. The acting general manager was authorised “to approve any contract variations up to 10 per cent of the contract sum”.