There could be more grief for the Shire of York as political
attitudes change at the top and swing inexorably away from unrestricted,
unmonitored local government council autonomy to being considered incompetent malfeasant
‘bunnies’ in the financial audit and Governance State Government ‘spotlight’.
Now there is a new David Templeman ‘Bill’ for early next year, with the ominous title of ‘Demolition by Neglect’, that may have serious consequences for the Shire of York.
If you own a heritage listed building that is falling apart at the seams through neglect by the owners then they could face a $1 million fine and a year in jail much sooner than later.
‘Chalkies’, aka St. Patricks Catholic Convent is listed as Place Number 02898 on the Government of Western Australia Heritage Council Register. It also gets an honourable mention on the National Trust and National Estate lists.
Its owner, whether it likes it or not, is the Shire of York!
Since its controversial purchase, Chalkies has been condemned by experts as unfit for public use with a minimum price-tag for restoration of $1 million, including GST.
The building has remained untouched, soon to be known as ‘demolition by neglect’, since it was acquired by Commissioner James Best, acting as the Shire of York, over two years ago.
Next year it will be required that the owners of a decaying, neglected, heritage listed building must make the property safe and secure with Chalkies meeting all the decaying, neglected and heritage listing dilapidation stipulations.
All owners must agree to undertake emergency repairs.
Recalcitrants will be issued with a ‘repair notice’ and if no effective action is taken, a ‘repair order’
Failure to abide by the repair order by the due date will mean a $50,000 penalty for every week that repairs remain unfinished. After that, if nothing positive happens, the $1million fine will be levied with the owner facing a 12-month jail term.
Unfortunately when a State Government decides to cast a net, such as one to prevent itself from having to forcefully acquire derelict historic buildings, it can catch more than it bargained for from the Governmental Bureaucratic Stupidity Syndrome.
There cannot be a severe punishment for the private owners without the same rules applying to publically owned buildings possessed by a local government, repaid for by ratepayers through a loan from WA Treasury.
Now there is a new David Templeman ‘Bill’ for early next year, with the ominous title of ‘Demolition by Neglect’, that may have serious consequences for the Shire of York.
If you own a heritage listed building that is falling apart at the seams through neglect by the owners then they could face a $1 million fine and a year in jail much sooner than later.
‘Chalkies’, aka St. Patricks Catholic Convent is listed as Place Number 02898 on the Government of Western Australia Heritage Council Register. It also gets an honourable mention on the National Trust and National Estate lists.
Its owner, whether it likes it or not, is the Shire of York!
Since its controversial purchase, Chalkies has been condemned by experts as unfit for public use with a minimum price-tag for restoration of $1 million, including GST.
The building has remained untouched, soon to be known as ‘demolition by neglect’, since it was acquired by Commissioner James Best, acting as the Shire of York, over two years ago.
Next year it will be required that the owners of a decaying, neglected, heritage listed building must make the property safe and secure with Chalkies meeting all the decaying, neglected and heritage listing dilapidation stipulations.
All owners must agree to undertake emergency repairs.
Recalcitrants will be issued with a ‘repair notice’ and if no effective action is taken, a ‘repair order’
Failure to abide by the repair order by the due date will mean a $50,000 penalty for every week that repairs remain unfinished. After that, if nothing positive happens, the $1million fine will be levied with the owner facing a 12-month jail term.
Unfortunately when a State Government decides to cast a net, such as one to prevent itself from having to forcefully acquire derelict historic buildings, it can catch more than it bargained for from the Governmental Bureaucratic Stupidity Syndrome.
There cannot be a severe punishment for the private owners without the same rules applying to publically owned buildings possessed by a local government, repaid for by ratepayers through a loan from WA Treasury.
As things stand
now, ratepayers definitely face a $1million repair bill that may have to come
from the Shire’s 2017-18 Budget. That should
be a given.
If it does not, then as soon as the bill is passed, the Shire of York should be issued with a repair notice, and if it fails to meet its obligations, a $1million fine making Chalkies a $2 million waste of local ratepayer’s money.
Ownership of Chalkies by the Shire could make the President, David Wallace, the principal owner by default- or otherwise through legal recognition.
If things go pear-shaped as they often do at the Shire of York, Mr. Wallace, could face jail or a suspended sentence. Either of which would require his resignation from Council!
The Council and its Administration are still questioning the legality of the purchase of Chalkies by Commissioner Best, ad nauseam, without any positive resolution.
The fact that the WA State Government wants to put the financial burden of maintaining historic buildings on those named on the purchase documents does not bode well for the Shires’ chances of placing the onus back on David Templeman.
Once again the Shire of York shows extreme ignorance and an inability to deal appropriately with the happenings within and outside its area.
Like defending its ratepayers against a rubbish dump at St. Ronans Well, the Shire of York Council Executive staff keep getting caught with their pants down, literally, metaphorically and actually.
David Taylor.
If it does not, then as soon as the bill is passed, the Shire of York should be issued with a repair notice, and if it fails to meet its obligations, a $1million fine making Chalkies a $2 million waste of local ratepayer’s money.
Ownership of Chalkies by the Shire could make the President, David Wallace, the principal owner by default- or otherwise through legal recognition.
If things go pear-shaped as they often do at the Shire of York, Mr. Wallace, could face jail or a suspended sentence. Either of which would require his resignation from Council!
The Council and its Administration are still questioning the legality of the purchase of Chalkies by Commissioner Best, ad nauseam, without any positive resolution.
The fact that the WA State Government wants to put the financial burden of maintaining historic buildings on those named on the purchase documents does not bode well for the Shires’ chances of placing the onus back on David Templeman.
Once again the Shire of York shows extreme ignorance and an inability to deal appropriately with the happenings within and outside its area.
Like defending its ratepayers against a rubbish dump at St. Ronans Well, the Shire of York Council Executive staff keep getting caught with their pants down, literally, metaphorically and actually.
David Taylor.
And where was Dynamic Dave our eminent Shire President when all the shit was going down at the time Chalkies was being purchased by Rattus rattus from Rattus rattus, oh, I know, he was in the wings waiting for the Department to cut Reid off at the knees. Even then, did he stop Reid’s bleeding, did he fuck, he let him bleed out (lucky Reid’s a chemist). I’ve kept up with local events on the blogs and for sure Dynamic Dave is one to watch, he’s lower than a snakes arseshole. His recent treatment of Denese Smythe during the election of the President and Deputy positions for instance, Denese, who had always shown loyalty to Wallace had that loyalty shoved down her throat and choked on it. In the interim, Wallace had obviously crunched the numbers and curried favour with his two new nascent buddies together with the harridan from the esoteric higher plain of existence. (If you don’t know what that means, bluntly put, its someone who thinks they’re better than us mere mortals, someone with more than their fair share of Janus-faced sanctimony). One of DD’s special talents is hiding when the going gets tough, always has been right back to school days, skulking in the background at the slightest hint of confrontation, first to show his face when safe and the lollies are being handed out. Right man for the job, history will judge, not by how important he is or how well he serves his masters - the rich and the powerful, but rather how effectively he responds to the needs of the poor and the struggling helpless.
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