Vandals wreck council’s income

PARKING revenue has taken a sizeable hit from ticket machine vandals, according to Greater Dandenong’s midyear performance report.
The council has collected $310,000 less in user fees in the July to December 2015 period – primarily due to an on-street parking fee shortfall.
The report blames vandals and a delayed installation of new ticketing machines.
The result was partly offset by high health and food registrations and building permit fee revenue, the report states.
Several of Springvale’s controversial on-street parking meters were damaged by vandals soon after their $470,000 installation late last year.
They alone were expected to reap $900,000 annually.
The damaged machines will be replaced in March, according to the report.
However, the council has raised $125,000 more than anticipated from ticket machines in multideck car parks.