Friday, July 13, 2012
A Star News Group publication
Phone: 5249 6700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808
Retailers fighting ‘bizarre’ charges BY JOHN VAN KLAVEREN BELMONT traders have labelled council plans to hit them with a special charge for a car park as “bizarre” because they will gain little benefit. Belmont Business Association President Greg Aylmore, who runs Jen’s Place in Centreway Arcade, said retailers would bear the brunt of the costs. “The property owners and landlords will be invoiced but they’ll pass the cost on to the retailers, the lessees. “We were told we’d be up for $150,000 but now it looks like our share is more than $200,000.” “We’ve been speaking with our ward councillor, Bruce Harwood, as part of a push to have the amount reduced but $200,000 is still quite a whack.” A council report said the Belmont St car park would cost more than $900,000. Council policy required property owners to cover half the cost but the Belmont scheme allocated them $200,000 from State Government and $100,000 from City Hall. Council would have to provide a further $404,585 on top of the property owners’ charge of $204,585, the report said. The 177 properties under the scheme would pay charges from $67 to $18,107. Mr Aylmore said businesses on the west side of High St would gain little. “It’s on the opposite side of High St to us, for instance, and none of our customers are going
HELL OF A SHOW FOR CITY TROUPE PAGE 11
Objectors: Belmont business operators Christian Evans and Greg Aylmore question the proposed charge for a new car park. Picture: Tommy Ritchie 84103
LOCAL BOSS:
CITY TAXI SERVICES ‘AT RISK’ the proposed new car park. “No one is happy, obviously. Business is tough enough as it is. “Everything goes up except the number of customers. Rents are up, body corporate fees are up, rates are up.
to park there and cross the road. “Rarely do we experience insufficient car parking on our side of High St.” Mr Aylmore said a new complex of shops and offices was under construction adjacent to
“It’s even affecting iconic businesses like Darrell Lea. It’s a sign of the times – and who knows the full impact of the carbon tax? “I’d like to see the economy turn around before we’re hit
with extra charges like this.” Cr Bruce Harwood moved to defer the item at a council meeting this week. He said he was trying to source to more funding to further offset the cost to traders.
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Police charge prison officers over alleged drug ring TWO BARWON Prison officers have been charged with drug offences after an investigation into an alleged drug ring. The pair was arrested along with two other officers this week after an eightmonth Victoria Police Drug Task Force probe. Police charged a 40-year-old Grovedale man with trafficking, possessing and using a drug of dependence, misconduct in public office, possessing
an unregistered firearm and possessing a prohibited weapon. A 40-year-old Norlane man was charged with possessing and using a drug of dependence. Both were bailed to appear in Geelong Magistrates’ Court on September 26. A 31-year-old woman and a 46-yearold man, both prison officers from Norlane, and an 18-year-old Delahay
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fellow inmate Matthew Johnson in April 2010. Shadow Corrections Minister Jill Hennessy called for an inquiry into the prison system. “There needs to be an urgent inquiry into how these drugs are getting into Barwon Prison,” she said. “The Government needs to ensure that the results of any inquiry need to be made public so that all Victorians have faith in the prison system.”
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man were interviewed and released pending further enquiries. Police said the 18-year-old was not a Corrections Victoria employee. Barwon Prison houses some of Victoria’s most notorious prisoners including former drug lord Tony Mokbel and CBD killer bikie Christopher Hudson. Underworld figure Carl Williams was bashed to death in the prison by
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