Hills ‘ignored’ in shire budget

A COUNCILLOR last week accused Cardinia Shire of ignoring the hills in its 2009-10 draft budget.
Ranges Ward councillor Ed Chatwin said little more than 0.2 per cent of the council’s $19 million capital works splurge had been promised for his area.
He said the council was neglecting the rural district.
Cr Chatwin labelled the budget “Pakenham growth area centric” when he opposed it at a meeting on Monday 4 May.
He said 69.4 per cent would be used for projects in the shire’s growth corridor, while Bunyip Ward was set to receive a 24.9 per cent slice of the pie and Port Ward 2.5 per cent.
But mayor Bill Pearson disagreed that the capital works program favoured Central Ward.
“We are keeping it in the growth corridor and that’s the way it should be,” he said.
Central Ward councillor Brett Owen said Cr Chatwin needed to look at the bigger picture.
He said certain infrastructure was needed in the growth corridor while council money tended to be spent on graders, bridge replacements and special charge schemes in the rural areas.
“A lot of these projects (in Central Ward) are for the benefit of the whole shire,” Cr Owen said.
One of the few big ticket items for the hills was the allocation of $8000 towards the Gembrook Community Hall’s $340,000 upgrade.
The rest of the project totalling $332,000 was allocated as part of the Federal Government’s stimulus package.
Cr Pearson said the council had taken into account the impact the global economic crisis was having on the local community.
He said the council had also managed to pull off an average 5.8 per cent rate hike, considerably lower than the forecast 7 per cent.
The rate rise also included a $50 rebate for any resident on Newstart allowance.
Copies of the draft budget are now available for comment by logging on to www.cardinia.vic.gov.au