We’ve commented numerous times on what appears to be the wastage of ratepayers’ monies. We’ve highlighted shoddy workmanship, the necessity to have things done and then redone, and generally no visible quality control within cooee. The latest episode in this continuing pattern is to be found in the in camera items of the current minutes. We quote:
“That Council appoint WM Loud (Aust) Pty Ltd ACN. 005 711 222 as the contractor under Contract No. 2011.047 Beech Street Car Park Rehabilitation & Associated Landscaping Works at Princes Park, Beech Street Car park, Caulfield for the sum of $476,675.10 (GST incl) in accordance with the terms tendered.”
Instead of frugality we appear to be experiencing major extravagance. Half a million dollars for ‘landscaping’ and ‘rehabilitation’ for a car park that was redone less than 4 years ago! Anyone who cares to wander down to Princes Park will undoubtedly come away scratching their heads and asking “What’s wrong with the carpark as it is?”
When residents are repeatedly told that rates have to go up, and that various programs are in jeopardy because there is not enough money to go round, then the decision to spend half a million dollars on a carpark that was recently done is extraordinary. This only serves to raise further questions about the management, priorities, and common sense of our councillors and administrators.
Glen Eira Debates 
May 3, 2011 at 2:10 PM
You can bet your bottom dollar that there’s more to this than meets the eye. Public funds being spent to enhance private interests would be my guess. And there’s no profit back to council for this so called investment either is another guess. Would be great to know who actually asked for this ‘refurbishment’. But hey, council never but never plays favourites – so they say!
May 3, 2011 at 2:27 PM
Would a councillor or planning staff please comment or share relevant planning reasons with the residents. Thank u this wod be helpful in understanding decisions of Council
May 3, 2011 at 5:44 PM
Yup, a bloody carpark before 3 year old kindas, fixing up drains, and a million other things. But what the hell, just raise rates by another half a percent and that’ll cover some more carparks. Doesn’t matter if you’ve promised before that the rates won’t rise more than 6.5% and you’re already borrowing 25 million.
May 3, 2011 at 9:20 PM
The Strategic Resource Plan is out for public comment. I suggest that people have a very, very close look at this and comment. The objective states that current service levels should be maintained. Of course they may be maintained if you keep raising the rates and the costs for everything. From what I’ve seen thus far, surrounding council rate increases are far below that of Glen Eira’s. Glen Eira also forecasts another 80 odd increase in the equivalent of full time staff. I seriously question whether we need more staff, especially since this number doesn’t include contract staff that could possibly number in their hundreds. What should happen is a cut back in bureaucrats not an expansion! As it is, this council’s staff has grown by 21% in Newton’s time. The forecast is that it will grown by another 12% and the estimated costs will rise to 75.5Million! The real cop out is that GESAC is supposed to account for most of this staff increase. Come off it – council has never, ever before run a successful business venture, so why should it now?
There’s also the spin about being one of the lowest cost councils. Again humbug! Residents should remember that Newton tried to introduce a 28% increase soon after he ascended the throne, only to have the state government step in. It was still a hefty increase – the highest in the state. A little more honest approach would be to compare all councils, not over 7 years, but over 10 years. Then residents would get a far more realistic picture of how they’ve been ripped off for the past decade – with no real and tangible improvement in services.