The councillors who voted overwhelmingly to sell Kiama's “financially unviable” Blue Haven Illawarra site, which has a 134-bed residential aged care home and 259 independent living units on the NSW South Coast, have now backflipped and reversed the decision.
At an Extraordinary Meeting on Monday, councillors voted 5-4 in favour of a rescission motion to reverse the Council’s decision to sell the aged care operation.
A new motion to develop a consultation plan and further analyse all options to lease, sell, joint venture or
retain the business was approved.
Two weeks earlier, Kiama Council CEO Jane Stroud (pictured) stated that the Council couldn't continue to support Blue Haven Illawarra financially without significant risk to its liquidity and solvency.
Mayor Neil Reilly, one of four councillors who voted against reversing the decision, said councillors had been “thoroughly briefed on the organisation’s critical financial position”.
However, he acknowledged strong community opposition to Blue Haven Illawarra’s sale.
“While the proposed sale of Blue Haven is a key strategy in getting our finances back on track, we are also balancing the views of residents and other stakeholders,” he said.
