Infrastructure challenge

By Alison Noonan
CASEY’S new mayor, Kevin Bradford, has shrugged off looming civil court proceedings and calls for his sacking to concentrate on his election into the top civic position.
Cr Bradford said he was honoured to have been unanimously voted in as the city’s first southern mayor since Graham Smith in 2002.
The former policeman comes in to the coveted role with three years’ experience representing Cranbourne’s Mayfield Ward.
He said the biggest challenge as mayor of the fastest growing city in Victoria would be to continue to provide greater infrastructure at the lowest possible cost to residents.
“Over the last three years we have continually heard figures indicating the levels of population growth, the need for greater infrastructure and improved services for the able bodied and more importantly the disabled,” he said in his acceptance speech at council’s statutory meeting on Monday night.
“All this is very true, however, as a council and a community as a whole, we need to accept that everything comes at a cost, a cost borne by our residents by way of rates and ancillary charges.
“It is a challenge for this council in the next three years to continue to provide for the now and into the future and at the same time keeping rates as low as possible.”
Cr Bradford said he was excited to be involved in one of the most important terms of council in shaping the future direction of the City of Casey.
“Decisions will be made on issues such as the Casey Activity Centre, the Cranbourne Aquatic Centre and Casey Fields.
“As a council we also need to focus on increasing employment prospects by planning for and encouraging more businesses to operate within our city to add to the existing 6,000 businesses we have today,” he said.
He reminded councillors of their responsibility to keep political differences and personality clashes out of council decision making.
“There is no room in my opinion for politics in this chamber, irrespective of which level of government or particular party is in question.
“Our first and foremost responsibility is to our city and its people,” he said.
Cr Bradford said the impending legal action would have no bearing on his role as mayor.
He is facing civil action in the County Court brought about by a woman claiming damages for personal injury from an incident in his time in the police force.
The matter is set for a directions hearing in April.
“The issue has not been a major problem to Mayfield residents who re-elected me.
“I am confident the matter will not drag on past April and I am confident of a good result,” he said.