WYNDHAM Council and the city’s MPs last week demanded the state government make the municipality a priority in its May budget.
The council and Tarneit and Altona MPs Tim Pallas and Jill Hennessy have compiled a wish list of projects they believe the government must fund in the next financial year.
It includes a rebuild of Werribee’s Galvin Park Secondary College, which sustained extensive storm damage last year.
Black mould was also discovered at the school, forcing the Education Department to send students to other schools for months.
The department installed portable classrooms over the Christmas and New Year break and students returned for the start of 2012.
However, parts of the school remain closed because they pose a health risk.
The government said it would not comment on whether the school should be rebuilt until it announced the budget.
Mr Pallas said it would be “deeply unjust” for the needs of the school to be ignored.
“The damage caused by the storms last year demonstrated how vulnerable the structure is and the risk to students’ and teachers’ safety,” he said.
Ms Hennessy called on the government to fund more senior secondary colleges in Point Cook.
The suburb has only one school for years 10-12 and a spokesman said it was a major concern for parents.
“The majority of calls we receive are about schools,” he said.
“People want to see more schools built, particularly senior secondary schools, because the demand is there.”
Both Ms Hennessy and Mayor Kim McAliney are hopeful the government will provide money for Wyndham’s roads, many of which are over capacity.
Cr McAliney wants an upgrade of Dohertys Road at Hume Road in Laverton North, a fix for Cottrell Street in Werribee, and traffic lights at the notorious Forsyth and Old Geelong roads intersection in Hoppers Crossing.
“If [the government] wants us to grow, they have got to come up with the money,” she said.
Also on Cr McAliney and Mr Pallas’ wish lists is funding for a Duncans Road diamond interchange.
Mr Pallas said this should be at the top of the agenda.
“There is no reason to deny the people of Wyndham this long-awaited project,” he said.
” The extent of community support has been demonstrated by hundreds of people who have so far signed the petition to parliament,” he said.
Cr McAliney also urged the government to boost police numbers and fund an intensive care unit and more emergency department beds at Werribee Mercy Hospital.
The budget will be delivered on May 1.
