$4 mil park funds in tatters

By Shaun Inguanzo
A TOTAL of $4 million has been sapped from Keysborough’s largest park project and Greater Dandenong council is scratching its head for answers.
Star can reveal that Tatterson Park in Keysborough in the 2006/07 budget has projected funds of $2 million until its completion in 2010.
But last year’s 2005/06 budget shows council intended to fund the project for up to $6 million until 2010.
This week City of Greater Dandenong mayor Peter Brown admitted the projected fund bungle had ‘slipped through to the keeper’ and he said he was upset that council officers had failed to tell council about the change.
But he was unsure where the funds had gone and said the Tatterson Park project in his opinion needed the original budget to meet its master plan.
Cr Brown said it followed a similar error after the Dandenong Market redevelopment was last week revealed to be $6.7 million over budget – with councillors again unaware of the change.
The mayor called for action and said the officer’s job could be on the line after yet another error.
“The officer responsible in both instances for changing figures and not informing council ought to seriously reconsider their position in the organisation.
“This is something the CEO should take into account, too.”
Greater Dandenong council could not explain before Star went to print why the funds had been withdrawn and if they had been channelled elsewhere.
Development service director Mal Baker said projected funding was subject to change.
“Each year council anticipates the funding involved for major projects.
“Given this is a staged project over ten years, and not council’s only works program, there will be natural variations in funding from year to year.”
But Cr Brown said a ‘first look’ at the figures alluded to market funds being sapped from Tatterson Park.