A GOLD Coast councillor is angry the council’s decision to leave water retailer Allconnex needs to be made with a blank cheque in hand.

Councillor Chris Robbins said no one knew how much it would cost Gold Coast ratepayers to leave the retail water joint venture between Gold Coast, Logan and Redlands councils set up by the State Government.

According to Gold Coast City Council, if it decided to go it alone on water, then state legislation dictated it could cost ratepayers up to $73 million in compensation to Redland and Logan councils.

“At the moment we don’t know what the cost is going to be,” Cr Robbins said.

“It is very difficult to sign a blank cheque, but I would really like to get the water back.”

The council needed to make a final decision by July 31 on whether to leave Allconnex, and it was planning to make that decision during Monday’s council meeting.

“As we speak, our Mayor is meeting the other stakeholders in Allconnex to try and find out where they stand,” Cr Robbins said.

“The Allconnex was a disaster and one way or another it will cost this city.”

Cr Robbins said the Gold Coast was the only council in Queensland that was considering abandoning the water retail business model established by the State Government.

Allconnex was the target of public anger over the rising price of water.

In an effort to limit rising costs, the State Government put caps in line with the Consumer Price Index on the amount council could charge.