UNTIL at least one NSW government department starts talking to Bathurst City Council there is little likelihood the Solo House men's refuge will be subject to health and hygiene inspections., While the results of an inspection of the Department of Lands trust property ordered by Minister Tony Kelly have not been released, council said it has no inspection powers following complaints it received on May 5., Council's director of planning David Shaw confirmed he received a complaint from one of two homeless men who said the Russell Street property and food and clothing on the premises were fouled by dog urine and droppings., Gesse Duvaal and another man also made those claims in two-page statutory declarations sighted by the Western Advocate., Those claims have been rejected by refuge manager Jill Britten., But council believes it had no power to send health inspectors to the refuge and investigate., "Council has never been provided with any information [by the Lands Department which oversees Crown Trust properties] on how Solo House operates and what its function is., "If we received a letter from the department maybe we could investigate.”, Council exempts the property from rates on the basis of its stated charitable status and charges it only sewerage, garbage and water fees totalling about $700 a year. If the refuge was classified as a boarding house it would be subject to the Food Act, Mr Shaw said., Full story in the Western Advocate.