Stuart Pearson calls on Bathurst Regional Council to scrap proposed go-kart track

Kelso resident Stuart Pearson, who ran as a candidate for council in 2021, says council's plan to build a go-kart track should be binned after it was announced ratepayers are potentially facing an almost 70 per cent rate increase over two years.

While council staff proposed a cumulative increase of 68.6 per cent over two years, council has put forward this and three other options for consideration during its rate rise community consultation phase, which started on August 23.

Mr Pearson said he met with council's general manager David Sherley and director of corporate services and finance Aaron Jones back on Monday, August 28 and they provided him with information regarding the cost of a proposed go-kart track.

"The estimated cost of a basic track without any buildings and only a three-metre high acoustic wall is $4.1 million alone," he said.

"However, council staff are recommending constructing the go-kart track to a national standard, requiring a longer and wider circuit, with a five-metre high acoustic wall surrounding the facility."

Mr Pearson said he understands, having seen council documents, that the estimated cost is now $7 million.

He said the cost for any proposed track is only including the track itself and not any other buildings that will be required.

"There are still more items to be considered. Buildings, amenities, toilets and sheds will be needed, which conservatively could be an extra $2 million," he said.

"The total cost of the go-kart track could be as high as $9 million."

Mr Pearson described the go-kart track as a "vanity" project and called for council to scrap it completely.

"Bathurst Regional Council has secured a loan of $2.25 million from which $265,000 has already been paid out on several necessary reports, exploratory drilling, and preliminary earthworks," he said.

"Council documents show that the local go-kart organisation has not contributed any money towards this facility.

"This is a vanity project and should be cancelled immediately and the balance of the loan applied to another worthwhile cause or paid back."

Mr Pearson said council has not conducted a business case for the go-kart track project, which council confirmed is the case.

"This is consistent with other community facilities such as Bathurst Bulldogs facility, St Pat's facility, Bushrangers AFL facility," a council spokesperson said.

A majority of councillors voted, at the August 16 council meeting, to progress to the development application stage for the go-kart track.

"This is a community asset, it will make money, and at 14 meetings a year, that's fantastic," Cr Warren Aubin said of the track.

While council will proceed to a DA, no timeline has been given for when this will be prepared.

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