MP slams Whittlesea councillors putting ‘squabbles’ before ratepayers
The long-awaited Mernda Town Centre has been delayed again with Whittlesea councillors failing to attend a meeting to approve it.
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A LABOR MP has slammed Whittlesea councillors for putting “petty squabbles ahead of the needs of ratepayers” and delaying the approval of the long-awaited Mernda Town Centre.
The council was due to consider a permit to subdivide the town centre and approve plans at a meeting on December 11. However, councillors Ricky Kirkham, Alahna Desiato, Norm Kelly, Caz Monteleone and Mary Lalios did not attend the meeting.
Cr Sam Alessi was forced to leave the chamber because of a conflict of interest, resulting in the item being adjourned because of a lack of numbers.
MERNDA TOWN CENTRE ON THE MOVE
MERNDA TOWN CENTRE (STILL) COMING
The same group of councillors failed to attend a rescheduled meeting to discuss the plans on December 21, delaying a decision until at least February 5.
Yan Yean state Labor MP Danielle Green said people had had enough of politicians who put their own interests ahead of the community.
“If they (councillors) are unwilling to do the job they were elected to do, they should get out now and allow others to do the work they refuse to do,” Ms Green said.
Mernda resident Maija Poljansek said she was frustrated the councillors’ lack of attendance at meetings was impacting her life.
She said she bought her property with the expectation the town centre would be built and crucial amenities would be close by.
Plans for the 24.9ha centre include a retail precinct with Woolworths and Coles supermarkets, food and drink premises, a medical centre, car and bicycle parking and a pedestrian area connecting to the Mernda railway station.
Woolworths state property manager Don Foulds said the company remained committed to opening a store in Mernda and work on the development was expected to start this year.
The franchise’s future in the town centre had been questioned because construction on land approved for the supermarket’s development in 2012 had not begun.
Cr Tom Joseph said he believed the absent councillors did not attend the meeting because they were on “strike” in response to their concerns about the council’s chief executive Simon Overland and his alleged involvement in the Lawyer-X scandal.
Cr Caz Monteleone said councillors who criticised others for not showing up to meetings was like the “pot calling the kettle black” because a faction of Labor affiliated councillors also did not attend meetings throughout the year.
Councillors Ricky Kirkham, Alahna Desiato and Norm Kelly did not return calls from Leader . Cr Mary Lalios declined to comment.
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