Cade Lucas
Wyndham council’s quarterly community and financial management reports for the first three months of this year, passed with unanimous support at a meeting on Tuesday night.
Both reports cover the period from January to March 2024 or the third quarter of the 2023-24 financial year.
The quarterly community report, which tracks the deliver key services and infrastructure for residents, highlighted projects such as the Truganina Creek and Lollypop Creek community centres and 13.5 kilometres of new roads, as being completed during the quarter, while work on new sporting pavilion at Galvin Park in Werribee, and upgrades at Jameison Way Community Centre in Point Cook, commenced.
In service delivery, 8851 immunisations were administered, 8371 maternal and child health visits undertaken and 158 youth programs delivered with 3900 young people in attendance.
Wyndham mayor Jennie Barrera welcomed the results.
“The community report for this quarter demonstrates that the team at council have been working diligently to meet our goals,” Cr Barrera said.
“As we come to the end of this Council term, we aim to finish what we started and continue to build the infrastructure and deliver the services to cater for our ever- growing population.”
While the report found most initiatives had been completed or were running on time, some such as a proposed indoor arena for Tarneit North, were found to be behind schedule.
Councillor Josh Gilligan accused the state government of abandoning plans for an indoor arena in Tarneit North, but said it was important the council continued with planning and design work for the stadium, regardless.
“We have a major deficit in relation to indoor recreation facilities in Wyndham north and it is the next facility that’s slated,” he said.
“It would make layman’s sense to proceed with that project.”
The financial management report found council’s financial position had improved, with an operating deficit after depreciation and amortisation of $12 million for the year to March, $16.5 million better than projected in last year’s budget.
