Councillor meeting recap

On Monday 16 May, members of WAAG met with our local Councillor Alec Sandner to discuss Wolstencroft Park and it's inclusion in this year's budget. Here's a summary of what went down.....

WAAG presented a slideshow of the progress (very little) so far of the Park, and the results (so big) of our Christmas party and then identified the following:

•  That strong community support exists for the development of the Park, based on a strong history of previous community consultation and input which culminated in a successful gathering of more than 100 people last December for an inaugural Christmas Party
• That WAAG was not being fully represented and supported by our Ward Councillor in advancing our objectives, and information relating to the EPA testing remains, at best, vague and incomplete.
• That WAAG will not accept a "No, it's a too hard decision to progress" response from Council

Click through to see how Cr Sandner responded......

Cr Sandner offered these comments in reply:

• No further information or any clarification provided from Council as to the status of the EPA testing required. (WAAG has actually contacted the EPA ourselves to try and get the issue resolved but still requires Council input)
• Despite Council's lack of EPA information, Cr Sandner believes the EPA issue to only be a minor hurdle in the progress of the Park, with funding to be the main issue.
• In the preliminary Council budget figures held by Cr Sander, only $10,000 will be allocated to Wolstencroft Park. Cr Sander listed a number of large figure summed projects required for capital expenditure in this year's budget as excuse for why the allocation was so small. (WAAG met this figure with disdain and considered it an insult. Compare this figure with draft figures for other community developments such as Ewing Park which will be budgeted for about $300,000 for a Master Planning stage)
• A major impediment in attracting capital expenditure for our Park is that it's considered a 'single use' recreational site. (Compared with Ewing Park which is considered 'multiple use' and continues the misconception that unless you have racquets, bats and balls investment can never be attracted an that passive recreation doesn't really count)
• The practice and concept of master planning should be abandoned as it raises community expectations and forces the Council to deliver. (WAAG mentioned that Cr Sandner had recently publicised the Master Plan for Ewing Park)

We were disappointed to say the least. After discussion about many of these issues, WAAG requested Cr Sandner deliver the following: 

• Factual information relating to EPA requirements, including detailed costings, what has been already tested (and make that report public) and a commitment that Council will meet it's obligations to ensure public safety and minimum use of the site for passive activity (stage one of the Master Plan)
• A budget figure, at a minimum, to satisfy these EPA requirements, which is NOT $10,000
• Stronger representation from Cr Sandner as our Ward Councillor to take his residents concerns back to Council as a whole. We asked, "What can we do that would assist him in helping us?"
• Seek alternative options to fund programs other than rely on ratepayer raised revenue. A preliminary budget figure in the millions was identified by Cr Sandner as funds to deal with Council drainage problems resulting from the recent floods. WAAG asked if all grants and other funding opportunities had been explored to free up this money/ ease the rate rise issue. Cr Sandner was unable to confirm.

So what now?
We left the meeting with the assurance from Cr Sandner that he would contact us within 5 days with the feedback from Council of these requests. Council sat on the last Wednesday to consider the final draft budget before it's release tonight 25 May. The public comment period for the budget is 28 days from today.

We at present have not received the promised response and wait now for the budget to be made available to the public. WAAG will meet again to discuss our official response and have advised Cr Sandner that we are willing to push harder and louder and more publicly to achieve our Park for our area.