Council to ask for emergency support

By Callan Date
A COUNTRY Fire Authority (CFA) vehicle is again on Casey Council’s agenda.
A majority of councillors voted at Tuesday night’s council meeting to write to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services Bob Cameron requesting funding for the emergency response vehicle in Casey.
The response from councillors was mixed, with several saying the City of Casey, not the State Government, should purchase the vehicle.
Deputy mayor Kevin Bradford foreshadowed a separate motion, which was also carried, calling on the council to refer $45,000 to the mid-year budget review for the purchase of the vehicle.
Heated debate among councillors followed.
At the centre of the discussion was the last-minute withdrawal of the funding for the vehicle from last month’s budget meeting.
Cr Bradford said it was disappointing Casey could not originally find the money to purchase the vehicle for the CFA.
“In 2005 we gave $175,000 to the SES to help build the Narre Warren SES centre and we can’t even give the CFA a measly $45,000,” Cr Bradford said.
He said several CFA captains from across the Casey region had approached him and asked for funding for the much-needed vehicle. Councillor Rob Wilson backed Cr Bradford’s motion.
He said it was outrageous that groups like the CFA, whose members volunteered their time, had to spend so much time fundraising.
“I find it ludicrous that we can fob off an issue like this to the State Government. How we can not find it in our heart to find $45,000 for a car to service the whole City of Casey?” Cr Wilson said.
Councillor Mick Morland was against Cr Bradford’s motion, saying the issue was a State Government responsibility.