Hume council will consider taking on maintenance of median strips along the municipality’s arterial roads, but only after the mayor used his casting vote to back the proposal.
At the August 11 council meeting, councillors were in a dead five to five split on whether they should take on the maintenance of median strips on state-managed arterial roads.
The original motion put to council, that was ultimately lost, sought to acknowledge the responsibility of maintenance for median strips on arterial roads was the responsibility of the Department of Transport and Planning, not local governments.
Cr Daniel English said ratepayers should not have to pay to keep grass lengths in check because the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) had reduced its maintenance schedule for arterial road median strips.
“What we see on our arterial roads is not just overgrown grass, it is a visual sign of state government neglect,” he said.
“This neglect hurts our image, our community pride, and even our road safety.
“We demand that the state government restore proper maintenance funding and standards for our arterial roads.
“We deserve clean, safe and welcoming streets, not budget cuts and broken promises.”
Cr Kate Hamley was against the motion and instead proposed that council enter into a minor maintenance agreement with DTP which would result in council taking on the maintenance of arterial roads from 2026-27.
“We get so many complaints about our arterial roads, but they aren’t managed by council … DTP’s maintenance schedule has decreased from six cuts per year around 2021-22 to now only three per year,” she said.
“That’s why the grass is up to knee high in height and blocking divers visibility on some of our main thoroughfare roads and our roundabouts. That’s why there’s garbage along every arterial road and rampant graffiti everywhere.
“DTP told us they don’t have the funding to fix this. Whatever advocacy we do, if it involves funding, it will fall on deaf ears.”
With only 10 councillors in attendance at the meeting, Cr Bell used his casting vote to break the deadlock to pass Cr Hamley’s motion.
DTP was contacted for comment.
