By ALESHA CAPONE
NEW offices for staff, public art and town centre structure plans are some of the items included in Brimbank City Council’s draft plan for the next three years.
At the last council meeting, the three Brimbank administrators voted to release the Council Plan 2013-2017 for public comment.
In the draft document, the administrator’s chairman, John Watson, wrote about the importance of providing council staff with one central office.
Mr Watson described the council’s present arrangements as a “scattered and ageing, inefficient offices, some owned and some leased, in which staff work across the municipality”.
He said this “negatively” affected the council’s budget and operations and in 2013-2014, the council would continue towards the development of new office accommodation.
Mr Watson said the council would continue an “Expression of Interest process” which began in March this year to develop council office accommodation, a “significantly improved” library and community meeting space at Sunshine Library.
In March, Star reported the council would consider offering part of its Keilor offices for community use once the new council headquarters in Sunshine is established.
Also in the 2013-2017 plan, commissioning public art and providing arts spaces has been identified as an important issue for Brimbank.
The council hopes to commission public art for Sunshine by 30 June next year.
The council’s draft plan also proposed completing a design for the new Errington Community Centre in St Albans by 30 June2014.
Among the council’s other objectives were the implementation of a Deer Park Village Business Plan and the Albion Neighbourhood Plan, in consultation with businesses and residents.
The council has already commenced consultation on the Albion plan, including the proposed closure of King Edward Ave.
Part of the Albion proposal includes allowing development of three to nine-storey buildings along parts of Ferguson St, Talmage St and Ballarat Rd.
A copy of the draft Council Plan 2013-2017 is available at www.brimbank.vic.gov.au and submissions are due by midday 11 June.
