Tate Papworth
Brimbank residents will have welcome relief with the council passing a plan for a rates freeze for the 2020-2021 financial year.
As well as offering no increase to rates, the 2020-21 budget, which was adopted at a recent council meeting, will support the council’s capital works program valued at $74.6 million.
Mayor Georgina Papafotiou said it was a good outcome.
“The budget is about being responsive and continuing to deliver a range of key services and programs that will support our diverse and resilient community and make Brimbank stronger,” she said.
“A key feature of this budget is our commitment to a range of programs and construction projects that will support our social and economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.
“This includes funding to deliver a new state-of-the-art health and wellbeing hub, on the site of the former St Albans Leisure Centre in Keilor Downs.
“The new hub will provide vital infrastructure forming part of our recovery strategy and delivering a range of health, wellbeing, educational and social support services for our community.”
Councillor John Hedditch put forward a motion aimed at offering further relief to ratepayers, but the proposal was voted down.
Cr Hedditch’s proposal included no increase to fees and charges and the cost of a 240-litre bin.
To deliver the proposal, he suggested slowing a number of programs, including the St Albans Wellbeing Hub by $17 million and the Green Gully Reserve Oval two sportsground development program by $1.4 million.
However, priority bike paths and shared paths projects would be increased by $5 million, while priority footpaths projects would increase by $2 million.
Cr Hedditch said the current relief model didn’t go far enough.
“Council has listened to the community and responded courageously to the crisis with the zero per cent rates rise decision and should be congratulated for it,” he said.
“But at this crucial, once in a century disaster…. the council budget still has too much ‘business as usual’ in it and doesn’t go far enough right now.”
He also questioned whether major projects such as the wellbeing hub would need to be reassessed following the pandemic.
“One unanswered question I’ve asked is will little Bella’s mum take her and her older brother to the hub feeling it’s a safe and healthy space? If she does will she be allowed inside the frequently cleaned and tested water slide tubes?”
“The St Albans Hub has pre-COVID designed water slides, change rooms, gym, rehabilitation facility, tenant offices and ventilation systems that all may need significant changes and costly project scope variations. Better to do that reassessment now before building starts.”
