Principal Jim Michalanney told last Tuesday’s council meeting that the school had been told to reduce by 20 per cent its utility charges, a large part of which is water for the swimming pool and for the oval.

The school also pays for a supervisor for the pool.

“What we’re here to say to you is while we want to work hand in hand with the council for the community we’re unable to continue the level of support with the oval… along with the swimming pool,” Mr Michalanney said.

“It’s not just the supervisor, it’s the upkeep…

“I can’t continue to guarantee the pool can be operated safely and efficiently.”

In a submission to council’s budget, Mr Michalanney requested $10,000 per year for supervision outside of school hours during summer and for 20 per cent of the upkeep.

He also asked for immediate funding of $14,000 for a new fence around the pool because “persons unknown jump the fence and swim in an unsupervised manner”, and another $140,000 to retile the pool should be flagged as “immanent” (sic).

“They are real concerns for us and we are concerned that we’d like to be seen as people that are fair minded but I can’t guarantee the future of the pool the way that it is,” Mr Michalanney said.

Another $3000 was requested annual for water and maintenance of the school oval and $360 per year for use of the tennis courts.

“These submissions relate to the provision of community usage of our facilities for which we receive no extra funding from DECS,” Mr Michalanney wrote.

Cr Michael Ross felt the council was being threatened.

“I felt it was like holding a gun to our heads saying, ‘You’re not going to have it … It’s like a schoolboy tactic: if you don’t do this, you’ll get the cane’” he said.

Cr Lynton Brown said schools should not be seen as businesses that only provide commercially viable services.