Grant vote backflip

By Shaun Inguanzo
A CASTING vote from a temporary mayor has controversially sealed a Greater Dandenong Council backflip on funding school councils and part-time salaries for temporary projects under its community grants scheme.
Opponents to the about-face move have warned that ratepayers will pay a hefty price now that the council could fund school council and community group salaries.
It follows a decision just two weeks ago when the council voted eight to three in favour of scrapping funding for school councils and part-time salaries for temporary community projects.
The move was led by Springvale South Ward councillor Yvonne Herring in a bid to tighten spending on community grants under the council’s General Support Program for 2008-09.
But at Monday night’s ordinary council meeting, councillors Alan Gordon, Pinar Yesil and Jim Memeti withdrew their support of culling grants spending by supporting a rescission motion and subsequent motion to reinstate the school council and temporary part-time salary funding.
With mayor Youhorn Chea, a supporter of the salary and school council funding, in China visiting Greater Dandenong’s sister city Xuzhou, Keysborough South Ward councillor Peter Brown was elected as temporary chair for the meeting.
Keysborough Ward councillor Roz Blades put forward the rescission motion and won support from fellow councillors.
The rescission allowed Cr Blades to put forward a notice of motion to reinstate temporary part-time salary funding for one-off projects, and allow school councils to apply for community grants funding for projects not covered by the Education Department.
With the newfound support of Crs Gordon, Yesil and Memeti, and the continued support of Cr Brown, the vote reached a five-five deadlock.
Opposed to the motion were councillors Paul Donovan, John Kelly, Maria Sampey, Yvonne Herring and Sue Walton.
Cr Brown then used his casting vote as chair to decide in favour of Cr Blades’ motion.
Outraged Crs Kelly and Herring had warned during debate that such a move was ‘hogwash’ and would create an unnecessary burden on ratepayers.
“We would have 40 or 50 schools in Greater Dandenong that can apply for community grants,” Cr Herring said.
“We want to give out the money, but we’re not prepared to support rate rises.”
She said community groups should “have the know-how” to support their own costs without the need for wages.
Cr Blades said the motion would only allow community groups and school councils to apply for funding, and was not a guarantee they would receive money.