Cr Kirk accused the telcos of showing “utter disrespect” for Goulburn’s CBD beautification works. In places they had replaced newly placed paving with hot-mix asphalt after undertaking work.  

“We will now have to spend considerable time and resources to repair this appalling work. This is ratepayer money,” he said on Friday.

But Tuesday’s council meeting heard from operations director Matt O’Rourke that the telcos had agreed to foot the bill for repairs.

“The contractor who has done the installation will come back before Christmas and effect the repairs,” he said.

Separately, councillors awarded a $649,685 tender to Greenacre-based company, Starcon Group Pty Ltd, to pave the final section of Auburn Street, between Clinton and Verner Streets. The work is scheduled to start in February.

Mr O’Rourke said it was a different company to the one that had completed other sections. He told the meeting some of that work had been “substandard” and had to be re-done.

Cr O’Neill asked that businesses be kept informed, especially if there was any disruption to parking.

“There’s a lot of ill-feeling in the CBD with businesses being cut off from Telstra and the NBN and the like,” she said.

But Mr O’Rourke said all of the work would occur at night but its scheduling meant that businesses had parking excluded at frontages for one to two days.

In other council news, Mayor Bob Kirk and general manager Warwick Bennett will meet with the State Government next month about a private consortium’s proposal for a second Goulburn Jail.

Southern Infrastructure Pty Ltd wants to build a 5000-bed prison off Mountain Ash Road. The Post reported on Monday that NSW Corrective Services had ruled out the possibility, saying its infrastructure program would cater for future needs. The company’s managing director, Paul Watson said he was confused by the statement, claiming that Premier and Cabinet had encouraged him to lodge the unsolicited bid.

The council provided in principle support for the plan in June. Mr Bennett said he and Cr Kirk now wanted further information.

To this end, they will meet with Premier and Cabinet officials on January 11 and 12. Later in January they will meet with Corrective Services Commissioner Peter Severin and his infrastructure policy adviser.

“So we just want to talk to these people before we make any decision on whether we pursue it ,” Mr Bennett said.

“...I think the reality is a 5000 bed jail is unrealistic and that something between 1500 and 1600 beds would possibly be more worth pursuing, but we need to check that out with the State Government.”