Mosman Park needs to convince neighbouring councils on library funding arrangement

A MOSMAN Park council proposal to review the tri-council agreement of running the $17.5m The Grove library and community centre has to convince Cottesloe and Peppermint Grove councils.

“Cottesloe has not been approached about a review nor has the Town agreed to a library review, and it is not foreshadowed to come before council, unless Mosman Park raises issues that Cottesloe sees necessary to look at,” Cottesloe chief executive Matt Humfry said.

At last month’s meeting, Mosman Park councillors agreed to ask Cottesloe and Peppermint Grove for an independent review of all The Grove operations.

A yearlong push to review the agreement came from some Mosman Park councillors’ concerns about spending during budget talks last year, when that council allocated a $670,000 contribution to run The Grove.

Last week, Mr Humfry said Cottesloe believed the current cost sharing based on the library’s membership from each council was fair and equitable.

Peppermint Grove is still waiting on a request made in April for more details from Mosman Park about which aspects of The Grove are proposed to be reviewed.

Peppermint Grove chief executive John Merrick said the council would consider the details of what areas Mosman Park wants to review, but the agreement running The Grove was made “in good faith” seven years ago.