Werribee MP John Lister has launched a petition calling on council to fix the surface at Wyndham Vale North Reserve.
Wyndham council received a $500,000 grant from the state government’s World Game Facilities Fund for upgrades to Wyndham Vale North Reserve precinct.
The grant was to assist in the construction of two senior and one junior soccer pitches, including irrigation, drainage and lighting.
Council is now in the process of handing back $400,000 from the grant, after a revised cost estimate placed the total project at $6 million, with council having to contribute $5.5 million.
Council has upgraded the lights at the ground.
Mr Lister said he is encouraging Wyndham Vale residents to sign the petition and that he will present it to mayor Mia Shaw.
“Despite repeated efforts to meet with council to discuss the issue, they have not engaged with us in any substantial way,” he said.
“Our local sports clubs deserve facilities that meet safety and other standards – and council, as the level of government most responsible for community facilities – should deliver on their commitments and meet the alleged cost overruns of the project.”
Star Weekly understands the grant process is competitive and council’s ability to deliver projects like this may be considered in future grant applications.
Cr Shaw accused Mr Lister of playing politics and political interference.
“The fact is, I met with Mr Lister asking for his support to repurpose the $400,000 grant to align better with the club’s priority of a new pavilion,” she said.
According to Cr Shaw, the alleged interference is based on section 74a of Victoria’s constitution and that Mr Lister is hindering council’s ability to manage its own responsibilities.
“Mr Lister’s interference has the potential to damage the good relationships council has with user groups at Wyndham Vale North Reserve,” she said.
Cr Shaw said that despite the ground being designated as a level B reserve, the council is spending millions of dollars on it.
“If the state government wants to commit to fully funding this project for the community, we would be happy to discuss what that could look like with council as the delivery partner,” she said.
Mr Lister said wanting to state government funding to be spent on what it was awarded for was not political interference, but rather responsible governance.
“The state government cannot divert money from a competitive grant to a new project, especially when council has failed to provide a business case or detailed costings for this new project to me,” he said.
He said that more than 200 people have signed the petition in first 24 hours of it going live.
Star Weekly understands that there are existing precedents for the state government repurposing grants, including moving a previously planned family and recreation area at Alfred Road Reserve to a new site in Riverwalk.
