By BEN CAMERON
Leukemia sufferer forced to pay for road upgrade…
A PAKENHAM couple who have fallen on hard times say they won’t be able to pay more than $4000 for a Cardinia Shire Council special rate scheme to seal their street.
From a group of 16 affected landowners, Allan and Maree Williams were the lone opponent to the $190,000 Wadsley Avenue special rate.
A council report found the road is one of the last unsealed roads in central Pakenham and suffers from flooding of adjoining properties after moderate rainfall due to a lack of proper drainage.
Home owner Allan Williams said he had to give up work after being diagnosed with leukemia in February and often relied on food hand-outs.
“We actually like the road, it’s countrified, it reminds my wife of visiting her aunty in Clyde,” he said.
“Why should we pay? We don’t have a lot of money, we’re both on disability pensions.
“We’re struggling to put food on the table.”
A survey of landowners showed the majority supported the works to the 100 metre section, which runs from Rogers Street to the rear boundary of the Pakenham Place shopping centre.
The council will contribute $57,000 to the road with the remaining $133,000 to be paid by landowners, ranging from $4064 to $19,211.
Property owners were consulted via recent questionnaire which returned a “sufficient level of support”.
Pakenham Place, which will cough up $19,211, endorsed the works but did not wish to influence any decision.
The council said social responsibility and hardship provisions provides assistance for those who can demonstrate genuine financial difficulty.
Property owners can appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
