Out of the bag

So, the council budget is “in the bag”, (Pakenham News, 26 June).
However, there are two items that don’t fit very well and require examining by ratepayers who will be picking up the tab.
A council funding contribution towards the new state government secondary school in Officer was originally stated to be for an extra netball court at $1 million.
This has now increased to $1.6 million for a multi-purpose stadium and while we don’t know whose idea this was in the first place, it is a prime example of government shifting financial responsibility onto councils.
Regardless of well-intentioned council explanations, over past months I have consistently tried to point out that ratepayers should not be paying for government projects for which they already have been taxed.
The other item is the new civic precinct and council office, the location and appearance of which has attracted much unfavourable comment.
While no expense is spared on regional sports facilities, new community centres etc, the lowest bargain price tender for a new civic location was chosen and a lease agreed upon by the previous council with land owner VicUrban (now Places Victoria).
Little information was known by ratepayers until the contract to lease the new building became a recent decision to buy the premises which Places Victoria had to sell for $25 million.
Again, ratepayers will be footing the bill for a badly chosen and unpopular future civic centre project about which they were never consulted.
Meanwhile, news reports reveal that the state government Department of Corrections has a desperate need for additional custodial accommodation.
A constructive suggestion is therefore put forward whereby Cardinia Shire Council could sell the new Officer building (which already appears eminently suitable for incarceration purposes) back to the state government and use the proceeds of the sale to select a more suitable civic premises in an appropriate location.
At the same time, more jobs could be available for employees at the four storey corrections centre where a very effective water based security system could be implemented.
As long as there is need for new council premises and civic centre we could have had something a lot better!
Gloria O’Connor,
Cardinia Ratepayers and Residents Association.