A COMMUNITY bus donated to the City of Vincent is set to go under the hammer after being used only three times by the public in the past 22 months.
In June 2008, Vincent council accepted a $120,000 donation from the North Perth Bendigo Bank which it used in 2009 to buy the 22-seater bus to transport community groups.
When former mayor and Bank chairman Nick Catania discovered in August 2016 it was “gathering moss and dust” at an Osborne Park depot, he attempted to have it returned to the Bank.
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READ NOWHe said the Bank planned to convert the rear of the bus to store and transport food for the homeless.
In December 2017, Mr Catania offered $20,000 for the bus but according to the Local Government Act 1995, City assets must either put it up for auction, public tender or make a public notice of the proposed disposition.
A public auction would allow the bank to make a bid and reduce the possibility of a conflict of interest.
A review of the bus’s use found the City’s approach to delivery service has changed which significantly reduced bookings.
Also, without wheelchair access, the utilisation of the bus is also reduced and it would cost $25,000 for an upgrade and reduce the bus capacity to 15.
Council is set to make a decision on a public auction at its May 1 meeting.
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