Dandenong resident Frances Davis and Lyndale Ward councillor Sue Walton with the makeshift supports temporarily holding her fence.Shaun Inguanzo
A LONGTERM Dandenong resident whose fence was destroyed in a preChristmas storm is urging Greater Dandenong council to help her repair it.
Dandenong’s Frances Davis said at the age of 75 it was harder for her to maintain her house, and she relied on the help of others when her home or garden needed repairing.
Ms Davis said she awoke on the morning of the 23 December to find her rear fence, which backs onto the councilowned Mills Reserve, in a damaged state.
Ms Davis said it appeared the previous night’s strong storm may have damaged the fence, which she found leaning over.
While a friend has temporarily fixed the fence, Ms Davis says it is in desperate need of repair.
Despite having lived in Dandenong for 40 years, Ms Davis said she had not once called the council for help, but decided this time she would.
“I have been standing back all my life and thought ‘bugger it’,” she said.
“It was the first time I rang the council … I rang (Cr Sue Walton) up and she said she would look into it.”
Cr Walton said she was arranging for a council officer to assess the damage and determine whether the council was liable for covering the repair bill.
City of Greater Dandenong’s engineering services director Tim Tamlin said the legislative Fence Act made it a requirement for neighbours to each pay 50 per cent of the cost to have the fence repaired.
He said the council would pitch in its 50 per cent, and it had contacted Ms Davis and allowed her to find a repair quote.
