‘We’ve lost the library guys’: bid to defer decision on Landsdale library backfires as deadline blown

A $17 million Landsdale library project is in jeopardy after the City of Wanneroo council voted to defer a decision to its next meeting — which will be after the deadline to accept a tender for the job.

The council’s meeting on Tuesday was adjourned for 10 minutes in an attempt to reverse a vote to defer a decision on a tender for the library and youth hub.

The joint library and youth centre project named Dordaak Kepap is estimated to be about $7.5 million over budget, with this latest hiccup casting doubts on its future.

Council members had been debating the construction of a library and youth innovation hub in Landsdale, which Cr Natalie Herridge said had been discussed for “more than 20 years”.

“The locals know of its history and after all the promised years, the lengthy consults, process and design, we finally have ourselves considering the result of the tender process,” she said.

“Our new library and youth hub will be our first co-located library and will provide a fifth library and second dedicated hub to our growing district.

“It’s not our community’s fault that we’ve taken too long to get to this point. We must do better in delivering projects within efficient time frames to ensure the budget we allocate at the start is what we expect it to be when the tender returns.

“It’s now up to us to locate the funding required within the appropriate reserves to ensure this project’s overspend is not passed on to ratepayers at the next budget.”

But the discussion was halted when Cr Phil Bedworth asked city officers if there was any progress on a Member of Parliament seeking extra funding for the project.

“Yes, there was two approaches made, one to the local member and another through the administrative part of the department. Unfortunately we haven’t been able to secure anything formal. The advice received back is it needs to go through the State Budget process,” Wanneroo CEO Bill Parker said.

“In light of that then I’d like to move a procedural motion to have this deferred until the next ordinary council meeting until we can get the opportunity to be provided with that information,” Cr Bedworth said.

Despite an attempt from multiple councillors to ask a question before voting to defer a decision, mayor Linda Aitken said there could not be any debate or discussion on procedural motions.

“I think we need to know if the budget will be between now and the next council meeting,” Cr Jacqueline Huntley said.

“We cannot debate it; there is a procedural motion, there is no discussion we have to go straight to the vote according to the standing orders,” Ms Aitken said.

The motion to defer the library’s decision was passed, which Ms Aitken revealed put the project in jeopardy.

“I want it made quite clear and on the record, this defers it to the next council meeting. Is our tender process finished before the next council meeting and therefore the tender falls over now?” she said.

“Yes that’s correct mayor,” Wanneroo director of assets Harminder Singh said.

When discovering that the motion could not be reversed with a revocation motion, Ms Aitken told the floor: “It’s done, so we’ve just lost the library guys”.

Council members appeared to be stunned and the meeting was adjourned as city officers sought clarification on whether the decision could be reversed.

City documents reveal three tenders removed their applications for the job, leaving just Geared and Swan Group who were “requested to provide confirmation of their agreement to extend the tender validity period to 24 April 2024”, meaning the tender period had lapsed the day after the council meeting.

City officers had recommended the tender submitted by Swan Group to construct the centre be accepted.

The City of Wanneroo was contacted but did not provide comment.

The overall project cost was $17,875,000, with the city’s budget falling short by about $7.5 million.

Council documents said funding from the city’s reserves and State Government would be needed to make up the shortfall.

This is despite the State Government having already contributed $3 million towards the youth hub aspect of the project.