The house that council forgot

By Nicole Williams
A SLIP-UP saw a council-owned Springvale property left abandoned for more than a year.
Councillor Peter Brown alerted the Star to the St John Avenue property, which was overgrown and had mail spilling onto the footpath.
“Someone slipped up at council and failed to ensure the mail was collected and the property was secure,” Cr Brown said.
“The people responsible for keeping it neat and tidy neglected what they were supposed to do – there has been a long gap between when it was vacated and the present situation.”
Greater Dandenong community services director Mark Doubleday said the property was used as a childcare facility, run by Spring-vale Child Care Services Inc, until 2009 when the service was relocated to a new council- built facility Lightwood Road.
“The development of the new early years facility on Lightwood Road has meant that the property at St John Avenue is no longer required as a child care centre,” Mr Doubleday said.
“The property remained locked and was used as a temporary storage facility during 2010.”
“The facility has not been neglected and remained in a closed state during its use as a storage facility and more recently disuse.”
After one year, the mail redirection expired and Cr Brown was disappointed to see mail accumulating on the footpath.
“It made me annoyed to see correspondence, including invoices, flying around the street,” he said. “And the backyard open to access for anyone.”
Mr Doubleday said mail was redirected for one year and relevant contacts advised of the change.
“The mail found recently at the front of the property was either ‘junk mail’ or sent to the address by mistake,” he said. “There were approximately 3-4 items and these have been redirected back to the sender.”
The property has now been tidied up and readied for sale.
“Council recently determined that there is no other appropriate use for the facility and given its age and cost of maintenance, it is appropriate to commence the process of presenting the property for sale,” Mr Doubleday said.
“As part of the process of presenting the facility for sale the property will receive a final ‘tidy up’ and removal of any disused and dated furniture.”
The proceeds from the sale will go towards the new Lightwood Road facility.