By VANESSA CHIRCOP
WILLIAMSTOWN Chamber of Commerce president, Sash Boseovski, has slammed Hobsons Bay City Council for not allocating enough funds to Nelson Place in their 2012 draft budget.
Mr Boseovski is calling on the council to allocate more funding to construct and repair footpaths along Nelson Place, which he says is a lawsuit waiting to happen.
“This whole issue of repairing footpaths has been on the agenda with council and Nelson Place for years,” he said.
“It’s been promised that the footpaths would be repaired – they’re an absolute disgrace in Nelson Place.
“The council is charging $3 plus an hour to park there, but they’re saying just be careful where you walk because you might just trip and fall over.”
Mr Boseovski said it was very disappointing considering Nelson Place was considered a Victorian tourist destination.
“There are some funds but nowhere near enough,” he said.
Mr Boseovski said the council have been telling the chamber that they would repair the footpaths for as long as he has been involved.
In their submission, objecting to the draft budget, the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce is also calling on the council to increase its funding support.
“We’ve done some amazing things this year on a limited amount of money,” he said.
“The Chamber of Commerce gets $30,000 from council which only recently got increased by $5000.
“Williamstown has got this world-class view, has got this world-class information centre but there are no funds allocated.”
Mr Boseovski said he would like to see the council allocate a percentage of funding from parking metres along Nelson Place to beautify Williamstown.
“Where is all that money going?,” he asked.
Hobsons Bay City Council will be considering submissions to the draft budget at tonight’s council meeting before it is adopted on 26 June. The budget proposes an average rate increase of 6.3 per cent.
