Swimming coaches and affiliated clubs are to be approached for their views on the independence of a panel to review professional competitive swim coaching contracts at Moana Pool in Dunedin.
The Dunedin City Council's community development committee was asked this week to agree to the appointment of the panel - sports administrator Dave Gerrard, Auckland swim coach Mark Bone and Sport Otago chief executive John Brimble.
The panel would review the council's two contracts, which both expire this year, following various claims made about the fairness and consistency of swim coaching at Moana Pool.
Crs Jinty MacTavish and Richard Thomson said it was desirable to ensure the panel was viewed as truly independent before the process started, rather than learn of something after the review was completed.
Opinions on who should be on the panel were not sought, just views on the panel members' independence, Cr Thomson said.
Aquatic services manager Steve Prescott said he had tried to pick people who had no affiliation to people running or using the service.
He was confident coaches and clubs could be canvassed and enough time left for the panel to complete its review before the first of the two contracts expired in July.
He is to report back to the council general manager operations Tony Avery and committee chairman Cr Bill Acklin, regarding the panel's independence, before it progresses its work.
