GLENTHOMPSON residents opposed to the potential closure of their swimming pool may have to consider other methods to make their voices heard publicly after Southern Grampians Shire Council (SGSC) took down three large signs alerting passers-by to the uncertain future of the facility.

It appeared that representatives from SGSC saw the signs when they visited the town recently for a town meeting to discuss the draft Small Towns Strategy document.

SGSC chief executive, Tony Doyle, said the signs were unauthorised and as such, had to be removed.

“The signs were removed by Council the day before the Glenthompson pool opened for summer,” he said.

“Council’s local law requires any signage erected on Council property to have an appropriate permit.

“Additionally, Council has signage displayed at the pool to indicate when it is open, pending weather temperature and staff availability. Any additional community signage may be confusing for the public to determine if the pool is actually open.”

One local campaigner for saving the pool, Jenny Rankin, said while she was “ambivalent about the action itself” she said it was nevertheless “pretty officious” and disproportionate.

“I am grateful to get confirmation that Council took down the signs,” she said.

“On the one hand the primary purpose of the signs was to be seen by Council reps who came to the meeting on Thursday night. That was achieved and it obviously irritated someone.”

Ms Rankin said, “the banners were doing no harm” and were a way for the Glenthompson community to voice their concerns.

“This action further indicates that some in Council want to suppress freedom of expression and community spirit,” she said.

“It is high-handed behaviour that is not helpful to negotiations or to our confidence in their decisions.”

On a related matter, Ms Rankin said she felt Council appeared to be making it harder than necessary for locals to train as lifeguards, with a disagreement brewing about three applicants for positions being unable to attain qualifications to work at the pool.

She claimed the community had stepped up to support the pool staying open.

“On the matter of lifeguards, one young woman in town has completed her training and is awaiting arrival of her certificate,” Ms Rankin said.

“Another person, a farmer whose kids were lifeguards, has not received the details so could not respond. I’m told there was a third expression of interest – (I) don’t know what happened there.”

But Mr Doyle claimed the three applications had not been formalised.

“Over several months, Council advertised casual lifeguard positions for its outdoor pools, including posts on the Glenthompson Community Group Facebook page,” he said.

“We were requested at a community meeting in Glenthompson to email the job information to three potential candidates from Glenthompson, but we did not receive further applications as a result.”

However, Ms Rankin said, “to say no one responded is dishonest” and it was an indication that Council wanted to justify its closure.

“My guess is, it will give them an excuse to close the pool on warm or hot days,” she said.

SGSC announced the opening of outdoor swimming pools in the Shire for summer on December 2, and Ms Rankin said she was concerned this might be the last year of the Glenthompson pool.

A petition “calling on Council to look for ways to keep the Glenthompson Swimming Pool open” will be submitted to Council at today’s meeting.