AN attempt to halt work associated with the Donnybrook-Balingup Shire’s proposed new administration centre pending further details and consultation was defeated at Council’s October Ordinary Meeting last week.
Cr Mike King put forward a notice of motion for debate that Council instruct the Shire Administration to halt all activities on the Administration Redevelopment Project until acceptable Project Documentation were presented to Council.
He also moved that Council instruct the Shire Administration to provide an estimate of a conceptual plan which included the refurbishment and use of both the Historic Church and other Shire-owned facilities, as an alternative to the options already presented.
The final part of the motion was that Council request the Shire Administration to seek input from the Shire’s residents and ratepayers.
Cr King told the meeting that the March 2014 Ordinary Council Meeting Agenda listed 10 shortcomings of the existing Shire Administration centre, which needed to accommodate the present 15 fulltime staff and 17 part time and casual staff, and a projected increase to 40 staff by 2017, in a functional Shire Administrative complex for which $2million had been allowed in the 2014-15-16 Shire budgets, including loans of $850,000 repayable by ratepayers over 20 years.
“In effect the office area will double, at an estimated cost of between $2.0 million (without the inclusion of the current office refurbishment), or $2.5 million if this refurbishment is included,” he said.
Cr King said he saw his primary obligation to ratepayers as being to utilize Shire funds effectively and efficiently and to provide Shire staff with a “fit for purpose” administration centre.
He said shortcomings of the current administration centre that did need to be addressed included many office areas being restrictive and poorly designed, while the reception and foyer areas were minimal, with no interview or meeting offices adjoining the foyer area, and no public toilets.
“The proposed building caters for expanded Civic Areas and Council chambers not much larger than the present chamber, but with a cafe, and an enlarged entry and foyer area, at an estimated cost of $2million, but does not include refurbishment of the existing offices, estimated at almost half a million, which appears to be the major problem at present,” he said.
“Obviously there will be some relief on the overcrowding as staff move to the new office areas in the 460sqm expansion and new toilets will resolve the toilet issues.”
Cr King said his major areas of concern were that the Shire did not intend to communicate or discuss the need for this major expenditure with their ratepayers at any point and that the figure of $2million did not allow completion of the project.
He suggested optimum solutions could be found utilizing all Shire assets and at a minimal cost, at around $1million.
“There is no stand alone Concept Definition for the Administration Building refurbishment which allows components of the estimates to be related back to the design,” he said.
“It appears we are considering a $2-2.8 million project, without even a complete concept document, let alone any Project Management documentation.
“In planning the redevelopment Council must consider that some ratepayers are already experiencing financial stress in a fiscal environment where many countries are projecting deflation over the next two years, our Federal and State governments are advising of decreased revenues and tightening of government spending, reducing public servant numbers, and individual incomes are stagnant and often falling while utility and other non elective costs increase at rates above CPI,” he said.
Cr Steve Dilley told the meeting that there were possible issues with Country Local Government funding money.
“We can’t complete our 2011/12 funding until we show we are doing something as we said we would with the administration centre,” Shire CEO John Attwood said.
Mr Attwood said the budget for the Shire Administration Centre was partly based on funding of $547,112 being obtained from the 2012/13 Country Local Government Fund Individual allocation through the Department of Regional Development.
“In order to be eligible to receive these funds Council must satisfactorily acquit all 2011/12 CLGF grant fund projects. Included within the 2011/12 program was the purchase of land in Collins Street adjacent to the existing Shire Office. A condition of the 2011/12 funding was that construction on any land purchased was to occur within a two-year time period, which has now lapsed,” he said.
“Council is currently negotiating with the Department of Regional Development to find a way around this funding guideline issue relative to the 2011/12 program to enable Council to be eligible to receive funds from the new 2012/13 program.”
In reply to Cr King’s comments, Mr Attwood said the original concept design included the new section and refurbishment of the old section. However Council had agreed to limit the maximum expenditure to $2million.
“The project was then reduced to exclude the refurbishment cost of the old section to meet the budget restriction,” he said.
“Refurbishment will not take place at this stage, unless the firm costs provided are lower than anticipated. Until an agreed design has been accepted and a cost estimate provided, the estimate of cost is based on existing industry standards.”
Mr Attwood said the proposal to extend the administration centre had been identified in Council’s Strategic, Corporate, Long-Term Financial and Asset Management Plans and included in the 2014/15 adopted budget, all of which were available to the public.
In addition, the budget pamphlet for 2014/15 identified the Shire Administration Centre as a major capital expenditure of $947,112.
“This is the first stage of funding, with the remainder to occur in 2015/16. A press release about the budget also included reference to the Admin Centre expansion. Concept plans are on display on the notice board at the Administration Centre. As the project proceeds, residents will be fully informed of its status,” he said.
