By XAVIER SMERDON
WYNDHAM Council has defended its decision to spend more than $700,000 on landscaping at its main office.
As revealed in Star late last month, the council has approved a gardening bill of $737,000 at the Wyndham Civic Centre, which they say will improve the image of Wyndham.
But residents said there were better things the money could be spent on. Trevor Smithe from Wyndham Vale, who has a disabled daughter, said the council could have put the money towards building a much needed disability respite centre.
“They (Wyndham Council) know how much we need a respite centre and other vital infrastructure, yet they go and blow our money on useless things like this,” Mr Smithe told Star. “Next time they complain about not getting enough money from the State or Federal Governments we can all tell them where to stick it.”
But Wyndham Council’s CEO Kerry Thompson said the works would have benefits for the whole community.
“The Civic Centre is a public building, with a highly visible frontage of public open space that is used by residents and visitors,” Ms Thompson said.
“In 2011/12 the City has allocated $11 million to be spent on open space projects across the municipality. In this context, the landscape works at the Civic Centre to improve Wyndham’s Civic Image in a high use area at a cost of $737,000 is deemed appropriate.”
Star asked Wyndham Council to provide a detailed breakdown of the costs of the project but they declined.
