Budget funds works

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
UPPER Yarra residents can expect to see little bang for their bucks in this year’s council budget.
Yarra Ranges Council is in the second year of a 10-year program that will include almost $38 million being spent on asset improvement and renewal in the 2010/2011 budget.
But Upper Yarra residents will see less than five per cent of this year’s capital works budget being spent on their area of the shire.
The council’s draft budget was presented to councillors at their meeting on Tuesday last week, 25 May.
The major works due to be funded in the Upper Yarra in this year’s budget include the Warburton Pool precinct, a water play area in Seville, various sporting ground improvements and buildings, bridge and vegetation management along the Warburton Rail Trail.
O’Shannassy Ward councillor Chris Templer said budget spending tended to go in cycles around the wards.
“As there have been a few big projects like the (Yarra Junction) aquatic centre, the revolving circle means projects are funded elsewhere this year,” Cr Templer said.
“We’re putting in the effort now to secure as many projects as we can for the years to come, seeing as we’re always planning three or four budgets ahead.”
Cr Templer said the council spends a lot of time trying to get as many projects into the budget as possible.
“We were really upset every time the State Government put another burden on us, so we’ve had to do a lot of work with less money,” he said.
Cr Templer also said previous budgets had been designed to replace aging infrastructure.
“A lot was already in motion, but definitely a high priority is getting the (Warburton) pool and caravan park precinct well on the way,” he said.
An initial $103,000 will be spent on the Warburton Pool precinct redevelopment project, with a further $153,000 in 2011/12.
A draft master plan for the pool is currently being completed and which will be presented to councillors within the next three months. If accepted it will be presented to the community for consultation.
The budget has earmarked $150,000 for a play area in Seville with a further $304,000 over the next two years.
Stage one of the $1.2 million water play project has been completed and stage two is about to be tendered out.
Another $300,000 has been designated for improving the buildings, bridges, weed management and track maintenance along the Warburton Rail Trail.
The council aims to contribute $30,000 for netball courts at the Warburton Recreation Reserve and $20,000 to relocate the cricket nets at the reserve.
Woori Yallock oval is set to get $5000 for lighting.
The budget is now available for community consultation and is due to be approved by councillors at their meeting on 29 June.