Hobsons Bay: Rates up 4.8%, Maltese group gets $180,000 for car park

Hobsons Bay council on Tuesday night adopted its 2014-15 budget with some significant changes.

An extra $180,000 was allocated for the Maltese Association Hobsons Bay to expand its car park in Collins Avenue, Altona East.

Currently, there are six spaces for about 700 members.

The council revealed that $2.3 million allocated for a previously “confidential acquisition” was to buy the former Laverton Primary School site.

A portion of the land will be used for public open space and the community will be consulted on other uses, which are likely to include residential development.

Plans to increase parking fees in Nelson Place, Williamstown, from $3 to $3.30 per hour, have been scrapped.

The average residential rate rise was lowered to 4.8 per cent, a marginal decrease from the 5 per cent originally touted.