THE state government’s decision to cancel elections and keep Brimbank Council under administration until March 2015 has polarised the community.
Brimbank’s councillors were sacked in 2009 following a damning report by Victorian Ombudsman George Brouwer into the strife-torn council.
Administrators Peter Lewinsky, Meredith Sussex and Joanne Anderson were brought in to oversee the operation of the council until the 2012 election.
Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell said the decision to call off the October 27 election had “considerable community support” and reflected the view of two independent reports.
Mr Lewinsky will stay on, but current Local Government Victoria director John Watson will take on the role of chairman. Ms Sussex and Ms Anderson will step down at the end of their terms in October.
The third administrator is yet to be named.
Former Keilor MP George Seitz welcomed Mrs Powell’s decision, saying it was “good news” for ratepayers.
“It will allow them to finish some of the work they have started,” he said.
“It’s an opportunity to forget about the bad old days and have a change in culture.”
But Mr Seitz’s outlook was not shared by everyone. Keilor Village Traders Association president Virginia Tachos was shocked by the decision and felt it was a slap in the face for residents.
“There are decisions the administrators have made that an elected council wouldn’t make like proposing to sell parks,” she said.
“We need a community voice and not the voice of administrators.”
Western Metropolitan Greens MP Colleen Hartland said the decision showed Premier Ted Baillieu didn’t trust voters.
“Voters in Brimbank will be paying rates for seven years without representation.”
Victorian Local Governance Association president Samantha Dunn said it wanted Brimbank residents to be able to vote in October as originally scheduled.
Mr Lewinsky said the change in the panel of administrators reflected the next term would be very different to the first three years in charge.
“A lot of the high-priority stuff is done, which will enable the organisation to settle into a good governance framework,” he said.
