Use CCTV cash or lose it, Hume Council told
THE state government has given an ultimatum to Hume Council: accept by May 18 the $200,000 funding for the installation of CCTV cameras in Sunbury or risk losing it.
As reported in the Weekly, the government and council have been at loggerheads over the CCTV issue. The government has said the funding is only for the installation of the cameras, while the council is calling on the government to also pay for running and maintaining them.
Crime Prevention Minister Andrew McIntosh and Liberal MP Donna Petrovich told the Sunbury Business Association of the government’s decision in Sunbury last Tuesday.
Mr. McIntosh told the Weekly a letter had been sent to mayor Ros Spence, saying the council had until May 18 to tell the government whether it would accept the funding.
“We’ve done a number of announcements across the state for this sort of funding and Hume Council is the only one that hasn’t accepted the funding straight up,” he said.
“This response is out of kilter with the rest of Victoria.
“We’ve always said that councils will take the funding on board and work with local police to manage the systems.”
Mr. McIntosh said the other councils had had no issue with taking on any extra costs associated with the cameras.
He said the council was fully aware that the funding was only for installing the cameras. The government had written letters to the council about the issue, including one last October.
In one letter, seen by the Weekly, to Hume Council’s Margarita Caddick, Mr. McIntosh writes: “I am advised that the Department of Justice wrote to your acting chief executive officer, Mr. Steve Crawley, on 11 October 2011, providing further information about the terms of the commitment.”
Sunbury Business Association president Michael Osborne said he was “shocked by the announcement”.
“From my point of view, it’s a travesty of justice if they let this funding slip. We are hearing of more reports of damage to shops in the town centre, so something needs to be done.”
Cr Spence said the council was looking to meet the minister before the deadline and hoped to establish the parameters surrounding the funding.
Cr Jack Ogilvie said he wanted the government and council to resolve the issue.
“I’ve asked for something in writing and once I see a report from council officers, I will go to council to seek [other councillors’] support to get the funding. I’m frustrated by the delay.”
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