Two Wyndham councillors have objected to $24.4 million in developer contributions funding collected from Point Cook being used in other areas of the municipality.
During the March 25 council meeting, nine of the city’s 11 councillors voted to retain the funding and invest it towards the potential construction of a multi-purpose community events space in the municipality.
Featherbrook Ward councillor Jasmine Hill and Cheetham Ward councillor Susan McIntyre, whose wards are in Point Cook, objected to the proposal as there was no guarantee the events space would be built in Point Cook.
Cr Hill said the funding was contributed by developers building Point Cook to benefit the residents of Point Cook.
“I speak with a firm a clear message on behalf of the people of Point Cook: Point Cook is not a piggy bank,” she said.
“These funds are not spare change to be moved around the city at council’s discretion.
“They were meant to deliver much-needed services and infrastructure for one of the fastest growing and most under-serviced suburbs of the west.
“The Point Cook Community has waited long enough for better parks, better roads and better events spaces.
“We must honour the origin and intent of these contributions.”
Cr Hill and Cr McIntyre both stated previous legal advice to council recommended the funding be spent in Point Cook, however council chief executive Stephen Wall told the meeting that was not the case.
Cr McIntyre referenced advice stating that council could be criticised for not spending the money in the suburb it was collected from.
She said she supported the idea of a community events space and would welcome council building it in Point Cook, but the motion before the meeting had the potential to remove up to $24.4 million in funding from Point Cook.
Cr McIntyre also said she was not made aware that there was spare money for new projects in Point Cook.
“As a councillor of this ward, I had no oversight that there was any money left in the Point Cook developer contributions,” she said.
“The word residual usually means money left over after you’ve done everything you are supposed to have done.”
“However there are still plenty of projects that remain unfinished.”
