The District Council of Yankalilla will look to cancel a licence agreement with SA Water for the care, control and management of a portion of land next to Myponga Reservoir.
Cancelling the licence agreement would allow for a new agreement to be established with the Myponga Hall Committee and SA Water, creating an opportunity for the land to be used for community events.
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Chief executive officer Nigel Morris explained that the need for greater open space in the Myponga region was first identified during council's 2016/17 Annual Business Plan and Budget process.
State Government minsters visited the region in June 2017 for 'Country Cabinet', allowing Mr Morris to make a request for the use of the SA Water land.
A meeting with then SA Water chief executive, Roch Cheroux, in July 2018, allowed council to discuss the use of the land and other water and sewerage matters.
Discussions continued for a licence of agreement, with a draft agreement presented at council meeting in September 2018. The agreement was later signed in January 2019.
The State Government's decision to open the reservoir for public access in April 2019 provided the much-needed open space that the licence agreement was attempting to establish.
Mr Morris said talks with the Myponga Hall Committee have indicated that the committee would be interested in subleasing the area from council to use it for their own community events.
"In discussions with the Myponga Hall Committee, they have indicated that they may be able to better utilise the licenced area and would be willing to sublease the area from council," he said.
"Myponga Hall is adjacent to the area, and they have the capabilities to book out the area direct and use it for their own community events."
Mr Morris explained that SA Water representatives have indicated they would prefer to cancel the current council agreement and establish an agreement directly with the hall committee and not use a sub-lease.
"This option would enable a new licence agreement to better define the area that has now changed over time," Mr Morris said.
At a meeting in March, council unanimously moved a motion to to write to SA Water to request that a licence agreement between SA Water and the Myponga Hall Committee be established.
Taylor Harvey
Taylor is the lone journalist at the Border Chronicle, which serves as a news medium for residents of the Tatiara. This is his first job in the field after completing his study at the University of Adelaide.
Taylor is the lone journalist at the Border Chronicle, which serves as a news medium for residents of the Tatiara. This is his first job in the field after completing his study at the University of Adelaide.
