A Ballan woman has called on Moorabool councillors to think about the need for a secondary school in town.
Gabrielle Fidler spoke at last week’s council meeting about the council’s Ballan Structure Plan, which found the town currently did not have the population needed for a secondary school with the council therefore unwilling to find land for the proposal.
If adopted, the structure plan would put an end to discussions about a school until 2030.
Ms Fidler said discussions had already started “three prime ministers ago, almost three premiers ago and way back when Fiskville was our main employer”.
She said there had been huge changes to, and growth in, the town since.
“Why is this being presented at the last council meeting of the year?” she said. “Are you trying to pull tinsel over our eyes?
“Can council honestly tell me there will be no need for a secondary school in 15 years? This is a joke.”
Ms Fidler said that if the state government was unwilling to commit, the council should approach independent education providers to invest in a school for the town.
The Education Department stipulates that, for a secondary school to be considered, there must be a town population of at least 10,000.
While the population of Ballan was less than 3000 in the 2011 census, Ms Fidler said the school could be used by more than 10,000 people who live in the western region.
The closest secondary school to Ballan is Bacchus Marsh College, which is 23 kilometres away. Secondary schools at Daylesford and Ballarat are 29 and 34 kilometres from Ballan, respectively.
East Moorabool ward councillor Tonia Dudzik successfully deferred discussion on the structure plan to a special council meeting at Ballan, possibly before Christmas.
Cr Dudzik said it was important for locals to have their say about a plan that would shape their town’s future for the next 15 years.
“A number of people have provided feedback on the plan … I believe the people would like to have a say,” Cr Dudzik said.
“We haven’t spoken about it for a long time; it’s probably unexpected for the Ballan people. Let’s give them a chance to have their say.”
