A NORTHERN Grampians Shire Councillor is continuing to work closely with residents and business operators to ensure the best outcome is achieved for the Halls Gap Community Hub precinct.
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Cr Jason Hosemans said since plans for the hub were finalised, several residents of Halls Gap had approached him with concerns.
"I have been speaking to a local of people out at Halls Gap with regard to their concerns over the community and tourist hub," he said.
"They are concerned that it is going to be taken away from them, or they have issues about commercial development there.
"I've been trying to put their minds at ease that we are not looking to take the hub from the community, it is a community asset that will be there for the community.
"In asking for expressions of interest as far as management of the hub, I think we as councillors are saying well, tourism services currently cost ratepayers of our shire over $300,000 a year for Halls Gap alone. That's obviously money spent on behalf of ratepayers on economic development out at Halls Gap in this case.
"We are merely asking the question, is that money well spent? Are we getting the best outcome from that money that is being spent?
"Council things be done better? Could a third party like Halls Gap Tourism, Grampians Tourism or a community group at Halls Gap, or someone else do it better and run the entire precinct a bit better than we might and perhaps get a better outcome for everyone involved.
"The ultimate aim for council is obviously not to use money frivolously.
"We would probably not be doing our job properly if we didn't review a service that's costing ratepayers that amount of money.
"I think ultimately, everyone wants the same outcome, something that is really good for Halls Gap, that the community can be proud of and that promotes Halls Gap generally.
"We are all after the same goals and have the same approach of allaying the fears of people in the community and saying that at the end of the day, if we don't put expressions of interest out there, we don't know what ideas, concepts or thoughts might be out there, that might see the job done better or a different way. Or there could be something put forward that hadn't been thought of previously, that will be of benefit to the whole community."
