There is something odd about Wollondilly Council’s reaction whenever anything negative is said about the acquisition of the Antill golf course property almost 50 years ago.
No current councillor or director was around at the time, so it’s not as if any criticism is directed at them.
And yet it would be fair to say that council’s response in the past couple of years has at times been visceral.
It’s true that former councillor Lynette Styles’ book, Antill Golf Club Associates, was scathing of the council of the early 1970s that acquired the land from the Antill family.
But banning her book from council’s libraries was easily over the top.
And then there’s Marie Reeves, a direct descendant of the Antills, who is gravely concerned with the state of the homestead on the golf course, Jarvisfield.
Mrs Reeves has offered to buy the homestead and a bit of land around it so she can restore it to its former glory, but council has shown no interest, even though it would still have ownership of 90 acres.
The current council has nothing to apologise for over the Antill land acquisition all those years ago.
But it has a lot to explain regarding its response in recent years.
Council maintains that it has no intention to use the former Antill land for anything other than golf.
And yet the current golf club is circulating a petition calling for support ahead of council’s decision whether or not to renew the lease next year.
Like much of local government, Wollondilly Council pays lip service to the concepts of transparency and accountability.
When it comes to positive situations, the council is very transparent and accountable.
But it must learn to be equally honest and open when a tough situation rears its head.
It’s not too late to start with the Antill golf course and Jarvisfield matters.
It can’t undo what happened 50 years ago, but it can give Marie Reeves a decent hearing for a start.
It can also learn to live with books that contain criticisms of past administrations.
The sky won’t fall in, honestly.
Keep up the good work to try to keep them honest, if that is at all possible.
First time reader
Emphatically agree with “First Time Reader.” And when is Council determining the lease on Antill Golf Club? The lease expired in February 2023 and was given an extension for six months, so the rumour goes, and as there’s just 14 weeks left in the year, will the golf club receive a nice Christmas present? Lynette Styles.