Blackwood Hub budget capped at $12 million in marathon Mitcham Council meeting
One councillor cried and another stormed out as Mitcham Council decided to reduce the planned Blackwood Hub’s budget just before midnight.
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The $20 million budget for the long-awaited Blackwood Hub has been halved after an emotionally-charged meeting of Mitcham Council.
One councillor broke down in tears and another stormed out in protest amid a three-hour debate over whether to reduce the project’s budget to $10 – $12 million.
It culminated in a decision at two minutes to midnight to reduce the budget and order new designs for the library and community centre, with a project-cost cap of $12 million.
It will potentially result in the footprint of the planned building being reduced and some services being removed.
Multiple time-consuming attempts were made to alter Cr Adriana Christopoulos’ proposal during the marathon meeting – including to revise the budget to $15 million and put off making a decision for three weeks – but all failed.
The formerly $20 million project was included in Mitcham’s budget this year on the casting vote of Mayor Heather Holmes-Ross.
The cost has caused tension between Blackwood hills and Mitcham plains councillors in recent months.
Cr Christopoulos said she was “appalled by the cavalier approach to spending ratepayers’ money that some are taking”.
“I can’t comprehend that there are councillors in this place that are so rusted on to building a $20 million hub and are happy to commit ratepayers’ money to build a hub we can easily build for $10 million,” Cr Christopoulos said.
Cr Andrew Tilley said proponents of the $20 million plans had “berated”, “insulted” and “browbeaten” people who wanted a smaller project.
“$12 million is being portrayed as a disaster for Blackwood,” Cr Tilley said.
Cr Jane Bange, who later left the meeting in protest, said there had been “so much consultation” that found residents were happy with a $20 million project.
She said a “cheap building” would likely be “substandard” and that the council may as well “pluck a figure out of the air as long as it’s cheap”.
Cr Lindy Taeuber, who cried, described the push to reduce the project’s scope as “extraordinary”.
Following her emotional speech, Dr Holmes-Ross asked Cr Taeuber if she would “like (the meeting) to break”.
Cr Taeuber responded: “No, I’m broken already”.
Cr Karen Hockley warned the Blackwood business district would “atrophy” without the full project, which would be “really sh*t for the community”.
She said it was a “rescue package” for Blackwood.
Mitcham Council will now spend $35,000 ordering new designs.
