Where income from pool entry fees represents a relatively small recovery of total costs, councils may consider waiving entry fees as part of a broader service model review. At a basic level, the immediate financial effect of this approach is that the costs of delivering the pool are spread across a larger number of participants, thereby reducing the council’s average subsidy per participant. While this effect is often cited, it is not the primary benefit of removing entry fees.
The more significant benefit arises from the potential to introduce new participants who may otherwise be excluded by price barriers, including low-income households, children, young people, older residents and casual or irregular users. In these cases, entry fees may not materially influence total revenue, but they can materially influence who participates and how often.
By removing price as a barrier, councils can increase overall utilisation and shift participation patterns from episodic or exclusive use to broader, more inclusive access. This has the effect of expanding the community benefit and public value generated by the facility, particularly in relation to public health, water safety, social inclusion and community wellbeing outcomes.
Importantly, this approach reframes the pool from a partially cost-recovered service to a form of preventative health and safety infrastructure, where success is measured not by revenue generation but by participation, equity of access and outcomes delivered. In this context, the relevant question is not whether foregone entry fees are recovered, but whether the increase in public value achieved through greater participation exceeds the relatively small loss of income.
Where fee removal results in increased participation without a commensurate increase in operating costs, councils may achieve a net improvement in value for money, even if total operating subsidies remain unchanged. This outcome is most likely where facilities have spare capacity and where pricing has been a genuine constraint on access rather than a meaningful source of revenue.
Accordingly, decisions to waive pool entry fees should be assessed not solely on financial grounds, but on their capacity to expand participation, improve equity, and enhance the overall public value delivered by the aquatic service. Comprehensive service reviews will inform councils of their options and the best way to increase utilisation and public value.
About Ravim RBC
Ravim RBC is a strategic consultancy providing councils around Australia with service reviews. Since 2014 our consultants have been supporting councils with strategic advice on the best way to deliver services and meet the needs and expectations of their communities.
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