Dr Hamish Russell from the Emerald Village Committee wants a council service centre in the hills. 69671 Picture: Stewart Chambers
By Danielle Galvin
CARDINIA Shire Council is expected to decide on calls for a service centre in the hills by the end of the year – more than five years after Emerald Village Committee starting lobbying for it.
Three weeks ago, residents received phone calls from an external marketing company on the council’s behalf.
Emerald Village Committee has welcomed the progress but the council has refused to confirm that a service centre in the hills would go ahead.
“The Shire of Yarra Ranges has four service centres,” the committee’s Dr Hamish Russell said.
“In our council we only have the offices in Pakenham.”
In a letter to the committee dated 21 July, council CEO Garry McQuillan said the shire-wide survey was not specific to hills residents and that it would further investigate the need for a service centre.
“Depending on the findings, I cannot forecast what additional work will be involved in determining the need for service centres,” he said.
The village committee says residents feel disconnected because it takes them half an hour to drive to the council offices in Pakenham.
“Pakenham is not a natural place for us to go,” Dr Russell said.
The committee believes the service centre could be used to pay council rates and fees and to meet council representatives face to face.
“I know they suggested that we could get better access to the council through Skype, but the technology for some residents isn’t there,” he said.
Results from the survey are expected to be released in October.
“The survey asks customers about their type of contact with the council and the quality of service,” council spokesman Paul Dunlop said.
“Questions include the types of services they use, how they pay their rates – if they are a ratepayer, how satisfied they were with their contact and opinions of other possible means of contact with the council in the future, for example a booth in a library or video link.”
The survey is confidential and households in the shire are selected at random.
