By KATH GANNAWAY
YARRA Ranges Council will consider submissions on the sale of the Warburton Caravan Park at a special meeting on 23 June.
The council resolved at Tuesday night’s council meeting to appoint a committee as part of the ongoing sale process.
As reported in the Mail previously, the council announcement in April identifying the preferred tenderer as a group that owns parks, including Big4 franchises, in other parts of Victoria, led to a petition calling for community consultation on the sale.
Issues raised following the announcement also concerned the unsuccessful tender of the Warburton Community Bank, which would effectively retain community ownership of the park, and a lack of commitment by the council to investing any sale proceeds back into the local community.
Cr Mike Clarke said he read the proposal as reflecting the need for an independent committee.
“It strikes me as being an appropriate approach to take regarding submissions for the Warburton Caravan Park from the public,” he said.
Cr Maria McCarthy in a briefing prior to the council said no decision had been made on whether the sale would proceed.
“It’s still going through its due process,” she told the Mail.
“We’re looking forward to hearing submissions regarding the caravan park, especially from community groups from the area and what their hopes and aspirations are for that space.”
The committee formed on Tuesday night is made up of all councillors, subject to any councillor declaring a conflict of interest.
The ward councillor for Warburton, Cr Jim Child, has previously declared a conflict of interest on this matter.
The 23 June meeting will be held at 5pm at the council offices in Lilydale and will address submissions received by council in response to the public notice.
