Project delays carryover

By Kate Taylor

There’s a bit of budget shuffling at council to cover the cost of projects yet to be completed.

The May 3 council meeting heard updates on council’s Capital Improvement Program, with a few issues having arisen.

The Maddingley Park Committee of Management has informed council that it cannot construct its pavilion project because of a lack of funds.

“…the Committee of Management has received quotations in excess of the available construction budget of $140,000 and has now formally written to Council confirming they are now unable to deliver the project within this allocated budget,” read a report tabled at the meeting.

“Council officers in consultation with the CoM have agreed to refer the project to the draft 2017/2018 CIP to consider funding the budget shortfall.”

A project to fund new fences at the Navigators Tennis Club has also been referred to next year’s CIP to cover a funding shortfall.

Funding was obtained through council’s Community Fund – but external funding, which was expected to compliment the council funding, was not successful.

Meanwhile, bridge replacement works on Butter Factory Road are now facing delays – the road rehabilitation and bridge replacement works were combined into one contract to achieve cost efficiencies, but as part of the bridge replacement works, the contractor discovered unsuitable material to establish suitable bridge foundations that has resulted in delays due to re-design.

The project will now be carried forward to next financial year to avoid inclement weather with construction now anticipated to commence in September 2017.

The good news in the report is that the construction of a 1.5m wide footpath linking the township of Elaine to the Elaine Recreation Reserve has been funded by VicRoads and will be delivered by Council.]

The project will include a combination of asphalt and granitic sand surfacing with a formalised crossing point across the Midland Highway and include kerb and channel and lighting installation.

The project is scheduled for delivery by 30 June this year.