Councils vote on tree penalties, copper theft, ‘urban clutter’ at MAV State Council meeting

Councils want a statewide police crackdown on copper thieves amid concerns a western suburbs municipality has resorted to antitheft measures, including CCTV cameras and security patrols, to no avail. And it’s not the only issue on their agenda.

Councils want a Victoria Police taskforce to tackle copper theft.

Victorian councils have banded together to demand action on key concerns including tougher penalties for tree vandals, a police taskforce to tackle copper theft and better protections for new homebuyers.

These were among about 75 issues raised by councils across the state to be considered at the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) State Council meeting for inclusion on its hit list to lobby state and federal governments.

Wyndham Council’s call for a review into misleading marketing material about development and infrastructure in new neighbourhoods won unanimous support.

The MAV will now quiz the State Government about its audits into advertising at new estates and call for stronger consumer protections.

“Many buyers rely heavily on the marketing of developers for certainty about what types of infrastructure will be provided in their new neighbourhoods, and what lot development patterns they can expect in the future,” Wyndham Council’s notice of motion read.

“Local governments often receive complaints when this marketing does not match the expectations that buyers have, yet Local Government is not empowered to act on these complaints given that the State Government legislates and regulates the area of consumer protection.”

The MAV will lobby for more protection for homebuyers in new estates against potentially misleading advertising.

The group also backed a Brimbank Council push for a Victoria Police taskforce to combat copper cabling theft, which it said had amounted to $1 million in insurance claims over the past 18 months.

“Brimbank Council, like many other LGAs, has implemented a number of antitheft measures, including security patrols, CCTV surveillance, modifications to electrical pits, etc. and have continued to liaise with Victorian Police in an attempt to prevent further thefts,” the council said, but the thefts continued “unabated”.

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Maroondah Council’s plea to raise penalties for people who removed trees illegally, saying the current fine of $2000 was little more than a slap on the wrist, was also adopted.

A similar bid by Boroondara Council to have the tree removal penalty raised to $20,000 failed to gain any traction at the previous State Council meeting.

Councils want higher penalties for people who illegally remove trees.

And a Casey Council call for councils to have the power to temporarily confiscate derelict properties, clean them up and then pass the costs back to the owners, was endorsed.

The MAV will now petition State Government to allow councils to double fines for repeat offenders who failed to fix dilapidated buildings.

Support was also won for:

■ Nillumbik Council’s plea for more mobile black spot funding to increase the

safety, wellbeing and liveability of regional and rural communities;

■ Increased funding for the school crossing supervisor program and calls for the State to consider direct funding of schools to employ crossing staff; and

■ Port Phillip’s bid for the Office to the Victorian Government Architect to review the impact of “urban clutter” such as NBN boxes and roadside cabinets on public space and whether some of them could be moved underground.

The State Council ran out of time to vote on nine issues, including Frankston Council’s plea for a responsible pet ownership test and concerns about whether schools should be managing traffic around drop-off zones to tackle dangerous drivers.

These may now be held over to the next State Council meeting in October.

Issues backed at the meeting will now be adopted by the MAV as policy platforms.