By BEN CAMERON
A CARDINIA Shire councillor fears important council projects will be put on hold if Labor wins the State Election later this month.
With Labor vowing to introduce rate capping if elected, and favourite to win, Central Ward Cr George Blenkhorn said council would have to make some tough decisions to plug a $2m budget gap.
“I have a good working knowledge of them (council finances) and as a result am aware of some potential problems ahead,” he said.
“If the opinion polls are accurate and the Labor Party wins the forthcoming State Election, rate capping will commence (in the next financial year).
“This will mean a reduction in the forecast council income of approximately $2m in that year.
“We have to decide together how this will be best managed. Do we reduce services or delay capital projects?”
He said two “possible scenarios” were deferring upgrades at Cardinia Reserve and further works at Pepi’s Land.
“There would certainly have to be more than these two to achieve the savings required,” he said.
However, Central Ward councillor and Labor candidate for Gembrook Collin Ross said he was disappointed Cr Blenkhorn had politicised his mayoral nomination speech.
“He obviously hasn’t listened to me,” he said.
“It does not mean the collapse of services, it’s all about more affordable council spending.
“He’s just guessing about projects, he’s plucked them out of the air.
“Whenever I get political during council meetings, they vote me down. Was it a mayoral speech or a political speech?”
He did not dispute the figure thrown up by Cr Blenkhorn however.
“It will also mean $2m less out of residents’ pockets,” he said.
