A Geelong federal MP has raised concerns of "mismanagement" at Victoria's largest regional city council, amid community outrage sparked by plans to close local libraries.
Corangamite MP Libby Coker wrote to the City of Greater Geelong this week to express her "utmost disappointment" with actions being taken by the council to manage its dire financial position.
"Communities are now paying the price for council's mismanagement," Ms Coker said in the letter, which was sent to all councillors and the city's acting CEO.
"It is unacceptable that significant cuts are occurring across a range of council services and facilities with little or no consultation with the community it serves.
"The people of our region deserve stability and certainty when it comes to council services and infrastructure.
"They have paid their rates in good faith and entrusted council to deliver services and facilities efficiently. The council has failed in this task."
Ms Coker outlined concerns about a move to close three local libraries, as well as council decisions to withdraw funding from advocacy body G21 Alliance, recent city redundancies, reduced access to aquatic facilities, and further services impacted by city cost-cutting.
When asked about the letter, Ms Coker said "the community outcry is overwhelming" and voiced concerns about cuts impacting some projects which received state or federal funding.
"The closure of libraries in the Geelong region is just the tip of the iceberg," she said.
"There are substantial cuts and closures proposed under the council's draft budget."
'Difficult funding decisions' necessary: Mayor
Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan on Tuesday said local MPs had been briefed about the city's proposed budget, and that Ms Coker's submission to the city draft budget process would be considered.
"We have been clear that we are facing significant financial pressure due to rising costs, and as a result are having to make difficult funding decisions across all of our operations so that we can continue to deliver the core services the community expects of us," Cr Sullivan said.
The Geelong Regional Libraries Corporation (GRLC) last week released its draft budget, including plans to close three libraries and slash weekend opening hours at seven others.
The GRLC said it was left with "no choice" but to make the deeply unpopular decision due to a funding shortfall from the City of Greater Geelong.
The GRLC argued the city's draft budget failed to include $1.118 million in funding to cover the initial running costs of two new libraries in the city, and the extra $1.8 million in ongoing annual funding needed for the new venues.
The city's draft budget earmarked a host of cost-cutting measures including putting about $82 million worth of projects on hold, with Mayor Trent Sullivan saying the cuts aimed to ensure the city could "literally stay afloat".
The city has been quick to place the blame on the GRLC, with acting CEO Kaarina Phyland arguing the corporation should "tighten their belt".
"We will consider taking library services in-house if the GRLC cannot find a way to operate all of Geelong's libraries with the funding available," Ms Phyland said.
'Growing concern' over council projects
Ms Coker's letter came less than 12 months after a group of state MPs wrote to the city revealing their "growing concern and lack of confidence" in the city's ability to deliver major projects supported by Victorian government funding.
The five local Labor MPs listed six projects they claimed had been "delayed by mishandling or inaction of CoGG".
"There is a disturbing trend developing with important projects that have had significant funding provided by the state government, being delayed, de-prioritised and / or mismanaged by CoGG," they wrote.
Premier Daniel Andrews added to the criticism in a visit to Geelong the day after the letter was publicly reported, telling the city to "either get on with it, or get out of the way".
"The City of Greater Geelong (CoGG) don't pay for much, but they stand in the way of everything," Mr Andrews said.
"And that's just not good enough."
Relationships between the city and the state government do not appear to have been mended since the letter from MPs, with Geelong state MP Christine Couzens in April declaring her government should consider appointing administrators to run the council due to grave governance concerns.
Ms Couzens's comments came shortly after the council announced redundancies and an organisational restructure, despite being led by an acting chief executive and being investigated by the Local Government Inspectorate.
