A fence will be built to keep dogs in at Lake Claremont
Camera IconA fence will be built to keep dogs in at Lake Claremont Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Claremont: Runaway dog leads council to spend $15,000 on fence

Jon BassettWestern Suburbs Weekly

THE off-lead antics of a small dog running on to a road has contributed to $15,000 being spent on a new fence at Lake Claremont’s animal exercise area park in a mid-year budget review approved at Claremont Council last night.

“There’s this dear little dog called Jeff, he’s a miniature dachshund, and he bolted out across the park and into the intersection of Alfred Road and Davies Road recently,” Cr Jill Goetze said.

Last December, the council decided to expand the dog walking area at the north-east corner of the lake’s park but not build a fence along its adjacent main roads leading to the intersection.

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This month, the Lake Claremont Advisory Committee recommended the fence to keep off-lead dogs away from the roads.

Cr Goetze said the new fence would run 180m along the dog exercise area’s boundary with the intersection and would have secure gates.

A staff report on the mid-year budget said a budget surplus of $459, 654 was now forecast

“This compares favourably against the amended budget surplus of $57,483 and represents $402 in identified savings across operational a capital programs,” the report said.

In the first six months of 2018-19, parking fines added $100,000 to revenue, development applications $76,000, building permits $80,000 and Claremont Aquatic Centre tickets $48,000.

There was $150,000 from investments’ interest.

The report said $156,608 had been saved from wages at the council, comprising $115,000 from vacant jobs, $33,000 from less worker compensation and $99,000 from the children director’s position and some other full-time positions.

However there were increases in legal costs of $80,000, a new security patrol cost $10,000 and chlorine for the pool was up $20,000.

The council will spend $23,000 on the roofs of buildings at the pool, $22,000 on Claremont Bowling Club’s windows and $20,000 on the electrics and bathroom of McKenzie Pavilion as part of building renewal program before 2019-20.