NORTHERN Grampians Shire Council has stood by its decision to return the Halls Gap Visitor Information Centre to the new Community Hub precinct.
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Councillors moved to reassure an anxious public gallery at Monday night's special meeting of council that its decision to reinstate the Visitor Information Centre (VIC) at the site of the Halls Gap Hub and to actively search for another operator to provide its services was in the best interests of the community.
In closed council, councillors resolved to undertake to interview parties that have submitted an expression of interest in the Halls Gap Hub precinct.
It also resolved to seek further information through a tender process to determine the most appropriate use and management of the precinct and provision of tourism services.
Council's chief executive officer Justine Linley said finding a commercial operator doesn't necessarily mean it will be run on a completely commercial basis.
"Council hasn't decided to seek a commercial interest, what it has said is that it will talk to people that have put in an expression of interest," she said.
"There is a perception out there that council has decided to put this out for a commercial person to run it on a commercial basis, that's not correct.
"It is a community facility on crown land, it has some commercial elements, but that is completely different to it being run on a commercial basis."
Reflecting on the motion before him, Cr Jason Hosemans said his support for the decision was based on what was best for the whole of the Northern Grampians Shire.
"As councillors we are looking for the best potential return on our rates on behalf of our ratepayers who represent the whole shire," he said.
"It must be stressed that any decision that is made is not a reflection on the quality of the services or the staff, they all do a great job and we are hoping their skills will continue to be used in that industry."
Cr Wayne Rice said he and fellow councillors took into account several key advantages and disadvantages when making their decision.
"I've been on council for nine years and I've never known us to spend a full day mulling through such fine detail as we have here in trying to come up with the right answer, weighing up the pros and cons," he said.
Cr Rice said at the heart of the decision making process was what was in the best interests of visitors and the people of Halls Gap.
"We have considered that it is in the best interest of all that the VIC come back into the centre of town because the majority of the people will come to the centre of town and then start looking elsewhere," he said.
Ms Linley said any commercial offer would need to demonstrate a capability to operate the Hub in a sustainable way into the future.
"Making sure that it is an area where the community, visitors and businesses can go and feel ownership over in the centre of Halls Gap," she said.
"Council will not be making a decision that will be detrimental to the community, businesses and tourism in Halls Gap."