By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
CASEY council has moth-balled a family and community centre in Autumn Place, Doveton, in response to the rejection of its proposed 3.47 per cent rate rise for 2016-17.
The $3.4 million project to replace outdated 40-year-plus child and maternity health centre and pre-school buildings with a modern one-stop shop is badly needed, say councillors Damien Rosario and Wayne Smith.
The councillors said the long-awaited project, which is planned to start in 2017-18 and finish the following financial year, was now facing, at best, further delays.
“It’s not in the budget for the future,” Cr Smith said.
“It’s disappointing. You’re talking about the most disadvantaged community in the city.”
Cr Rosario said a new wave of demand was created by young families, many new arrivals to Australia, settling in the area.
“Doveton is a growing young community. Doveton is one of the first places they come to.”
On 31 May, the Essential Services Commission rejected Casey’s application to raise rates above the 2.5 per cent rate cap in part due to the council’s strong finances – including a $33.9 million underlying surplus in 2016-17.
Casey’s proposed 0.97 per cent increase – or $14 a household on top of the 2.5 per cent rate rise – would have raised an extra $1.6 million in 2016-17.
The ESC noted Casey had “historically” underspent on its capital works budget – saving on average $14 million a year over the past five years.
It also factored in the $2.5 million allocated to the council from the state’s Interface Growth Fund.
Cr Smith said the council was “flush with funds” but they could not be tapped for the Autumn Place development.
The funds, raised by developer contributions, were earmarked for new estates’ infrastructure such as roads and facilities.
“The older areas like Doveton, Hallam and Hampton Park don’t have access to those sort of reserves.”
Since the ESC decision, the council has also dropped plans for a Hunt Club Football and Cricket Recreation Facility, Cranbourne East from its $149 million capital works program.
Mayor Sam Aziz said the ESC decision was an “unacceptable act of economic vandalism” that didn’t consider Casey’s continued growth.
Brendan Browne of the Casey Residents and Ratepayers Association said talk of an infrastructure black hole was “just scaremongering”.
“The commission found that there are options available to the council to ensure these projects (such as the Autumn Place facility) proceed.”
