The committee yesterday discussed an independent report by Morrison Low, which was engaged by the CODC to review the hall project.
The Morrison Low report said the CCB had done significant analysis and consultation during the 17-year history of the hall project, before voting last year to finally go ahead with the refurbishment of the hall. The vote had been split 3-3, with one abstention, and it was CCB chairman Neil Gillespie's casting vote that carried the motion.
But earlier this year the CCB then did a U-turn, voting 4-3 to delay the refurbishment and seek designs for a rebuild instead.
That situation was ''unusual'' and could end up costing the community more money and delaying the project further, the report said.
''The 17-year length of this project is unusual and there would be a high level of community expectation that the project should proceed on the basis that it has been consulted upon to date. We note that there is a risk that the inability to progress this project could be considered a 'problem'.''
Audit and risk committee member Stephen Jeffery said the reputational backlash from the CCB's indecision could be significant.
''We're in a stand-off and I can only see it's going to take another two years to get it resolved, and that's kind of unacceptable when it's taken 17 years so far.''
The Morrison Low report said the CCB legally needed to reconsult on any new option, which would have ''time and cost implications''.
Reconsulting could delay things by two years, which would flow through into increased construction costs
The council had spent about $478,000 on the project so far, and if the scope or design of the hall project changed there was a risk this investment would be ''wasted'', the report said.
The costs for further consultation could be about $100,000, and additional procurement costs for a combined design/build approach could be about $50,000-$100,000.
The Morrison Low report said that, while awaiting decisions about the hall's future, costs would also be required to keep the hall operational.
CODC property and facilities manager Mike Kerr said the hall was earthquake prone, at less than 34% of the building code, but did have a building warrant of fitness and was compliant and met the requirements to be used as a public building.
But the audit and risk committee voted to seek further assurances from CODC management about the safety of the hall.
The committee also asked for the Morrison Low report to be discussed by the full council.
Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan said Audit New Zealand had also asked to be given the report - ''that's how seriously this [the Cromwell hall project] is being treated''.
