A divided Brimbank council has knocked back the opportunity to purchase the former Calder Rise Primary School site.
The council had been awaiting the results of a due diligence report into the site before making a decision on buying it.
The report determined that the council should not make an offer on the site.
Cr Virginia Tachos put forward an alternate motion proposing the council make an offer to purchase the site.
“The tangible benefits of purchasing Calder Rise are many, but none are mentioned in this report,” she said. “There’s no mention on the social values and equity of community access to sports and recreation. Anyone doing a critical analysis of this officer’s report will find deficiencies in presenting a balanced and contextual picture on why Calder Rise is identified as important.”
Cr Tachos’ motion was supported by councillors John Hedditch, Daniel Allan, Duyen Anh Pham and Kim Thien Truong.
Councillors Bruce Lancashire, Georgina Papafotiou, Lucinda Congreve, Sam David, Victoria Borg and mayor Margaret Giudice voted against the motion and the motion failed.
Cr Congreve said the financial burden the purchase would place on the council couldn’t be justified.
“I can tell you the majority of Keilor residents want this to happen, but the majority of ratepayers in Brimbank seeing us spend
$10 million on an oval that’s not even AFL size will probably wonder what we’re doing and I’m sure they wouldn’t be supportive,” he said.
Keilor Football Club president Craig Hill, whose club has led the push for purchase of the land, said the decision was disappointing.
“We are very disappointed, but reluctantly accept the decision,” he said. “We now need to move forward and work quickly with the council to establish a way to acquire a third ground in 2019.”
Niddrie MP Ben Carroll said the council had neglected the Keilor community and the land would now go to sale.
“Council have wasted numerous opportunities to acquire valuable land at a discounted rate for the benefit of the community … locals feel Keilor is neglected by Brimbank council,” he said.
“Given their failure to secure this land in good faith, the Victorian School Building Authority will proceed with the disposal of the land.” The council will now write to the state government calling on it to stop the sale.
