COLLIE Shire Council could forfeit a quarter of a million dollars set aside to cover the Collie swimming pool if it does not make plans to spend the money in the next 12 months.

Concerns were raised at the South West Development Commission’s (SWDC) last board meeting after the Council requested the money instead be spent on the pool revitalisation.

Board members voted to wait until council could submit a more detailed plan as to where exactly the money would be spent.

The council has 12 months to submit a plan otherwise the money would be forfeit.

SWDC acting chief executive Graeme Baesjou said the $250,000 was given to council in 2005 to cover the pool, so the board was concerned that it was yet to be spent.

He said there was no evidence as to where or when the money would be spent.

Collie Shire chief executive officer Jason Whiteaker said council was looking at the revitalisation to ensure the pool would be a valued community asset.

The plan was to provide some level of cover, although it was not the shire’s intention to turn the facility into an indoor aquatic facility.

He said to provide any sort of cover for the pool would cost in excess of $2 million without any of the other remedial work to actually get the pool to an improved standard.

“Our primary focus is to get the pool up to a good standard – following the significant work to resurface last year,” he said.

Mr Whiteaker said council wanted to ensure the money was spent wisely on behalf of the community.

“There are still issues with the concourse and the toilets/change rooms are rudimentary at best, while the toddlers pool is not very exciting,” he said.

“I guess as we don’t have an endless sum of money to spend the council has decided to focus on these issues rather than simply place a cover of sorts over a pool which requires work.”

Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray said the pool cover was long overdue.

“It is unfortunate that it has got to this stage, but the money was given to the shire and it has not been spent,” he said.