The Newcastle Independents have launched a bold $42 million plan to replace all six of the city's surf clubs.
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The alliance's Newcastle council election candidates gathered at Merewether Surf Life Saving Club on Friday to announce they would push for the work in the next term of council if elected.
The program of work would involve spending an estimated $7 million on each club, starting with Merewether then Newcastle.
The other surf clubs in the local government area are Stockton, Nobbys, Cooks Hill and Dixon Park.
The Independents said they would work on striking a 50-50 funding arrangement with state and federal governments to pay for the project.
The NSW government announced in June that it would spend $16 million over four years under its Surf Club Facility Program. Last financial year it awarded 29 clubs grants totalling $3.5 million.
"The plan is to build a new surf lifesaving club every two years with a focus on quality design and community consultation to get the best result possible for each location," the group, led by lord mayoral candidate John Church, said in a media statement.
The program has the backing of the Merewether and Newcastle clubs, which sent representatives to the launch.
Merewether Surf Life Saving Club chief training officer and education director Anthony Tietze told the Newcastle Herald that the clubhouse was "outdated".
"We are careful to be apolitical, but anyone who's going to come along and offer us some support we're going to work with them," he said.
"The clubhouse has out-seen its design life. The roof leaks, it hasn't got the functionality that it needs to have for a modern-day structure, and very importantly it doesn't have disabled access to the first floor.
"It's been embarrassing. We've had to carry people up the stairs."
Mr Tietze said the club had devised plans for a new, slightly larger building but the council would not allow it to submit a development application until the council had completed its coastal management plan.
"We've actually got a very good suite of documentation together," he said.
"We've been working hard on it, I believe we've ticked all the boxes for the DA submission and we've just hit a glitch and we can't seem to get over that glitch.
"They are exercising some due diligence. They had their fingers burnt with Cooks Hill. It is too low. There's been a lot of bad blood there, and they just don't want to see that happen again.
"I do have some sympathy, but I don't see why we can't have our DA submitted."
Mr Tietze said the clubhouse's public toilets were "pitiful" and an embarrassment when Surfest came to town.
Ward two Independents candidate PJ Fallon said the Merewether rebuild had been "shovel ready for a little while".
"While we need to be mindful of climate change impacts and sea level rise, it's time to resolve these issues and get on with the job," he said.
"Some of the surf clubs in Newcastle are in dire need of replacement, which is what the Newcastle Independents are promising to do."
Mr Tietze said Merewether would like to be able to lease out a function room to a private operator while retaining access for members.
Cr Church said the Independents would work with surf clubs to "deliver more certainty around their income streams".
"We know the clubs need more certainty around their leasing arrangements with the council to be able to plan for their future financial viability," Cr Church said.
He said the Labor-led council had focused on new projects at the expense of addressing maintenance and renewal of infrastructure such as surf clubs, footpaths and inland pools.
The Independents, who are fielding teams of candidates in all four wards, would need to gain support from other councillors to implement their election promises, which include scrapping the city's special business rate.
Lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said Labor had delivered more than $11 million in improvements to surf clubs in the past seven years and given $420,000 cash to Hunter Surf Lifesaving.
"I'm also proud to have delivered transformational coastal revitalisation as lord mayor, including $46 million over the last 10 years, including the delivery of our iconic Bathers Way," she said.
Deputy lord mayor Declan Clausen said Cr Church had criticised Labor for "new projects" while announcing his own "new projects".
He said Labor had reserved $3.6 million for future upgrades of surf clubs.
"The question has to be asked what services and jobs is John Church cutting to fund his latest $50 million spending commitment?" he said.
The election is on December 4.
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