A disgruntled council candidate has confronted Brimbank administrators over what he describes as a “short- sighted” decision to axe meetings in Keilor.
The council’s three-year experiment with fortnightly council meetings has ended, with administrators set to meet once a month from April.
The council will continue to alternate between Sunshine and Keilor offices for meetings until the new civic centre in Sunshine opens mid-year.
The first monthly council meeting will be held on April 19 in Keilor.
The final Keilor meeting will be on June 21.
Richard Carthew confronted the administrators at the end of last Tuesday’s meeting.
“Alternating council meetings between Keilor and Sunshine has been the practice since the creation of the Brimbank City Council in 1994,” he told the council.
“And I believe it would be short-sighted in not continuing this practice … it would only further alienate and disenfranchise the people of northern Brimbank.”
Council corporate and community relations director Helen Morrissey said the decision was based on a February review that looked at other councils and considered the imminent return of democracy to Brimbank in the October council elections.
The decision to hold monthly meetings will be reviewed in 18 months.
Council chambers in Keilor will be used as a community space once the new civic centre is opened.
