Plans by Dubbo City Council to spend $4 million improving the safety of the South Dubbo Weir should be a good enough reason for the NSW government to hand over ownership of the land without the estimated $1 million price tag.
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The council and the government have entered discussions to transfer ownership of the weir and surrounding land to the Dubbo community, through council. The estimated value of the land is $900,000.
However councillor John Walkom, acting as chairman of the Works and Services Committee said it would lobby Dubbo MP Troy Grant and the state government to vest the weir in council.
"It needs to be a loud and clear message that goes back to our local member, that as a community, it would be expected it would be vested to us," he said.
Members of DCC's Works and Services Committee voted to proceed with the acquisition of the weir but made it clear they would be pushing for a "nil or nominal cost to council".
Councillor Allan Smith said the safety work needed to be carried out because nine people had died since the weir was constructed in 1942, including two since 2008 and without significant work the danger would remain.
"Council is biting the bullet ... and investing $4 million in works at that weir to improve weir safety and the condition of the environment around the weir," Cr Smith said.
"It is disturbing to say the least when you see, as part of the process, there is an expectation that Dubbo City Council, on behalf of the community, purchases the weir for something like $900,000 plus legals and the rest."
A report presented to members of the DCC Works and Services Committee said it was only because of an oversight by the government in 1943 that the weir hadn't been placed in council's ownership.
Cr Smith said council had always accepted the government owned the weir but it had been the council who had dealt with the fallout when the tragic deaths occurred in 2008 and 2011.
"When there has been court hearings and all the issues raised with the weir, there has been no one left standing but Dubbo City Council," Cr Smith said.
"Everyone has ducked for cover but this council has taken the initiative and bit the bullet, and also taken the pain that comes with community expectation and taken the grief when we have learnt about people who have passed away because of the dangers of the weir.
"Now there is an expectation that if we don't own it, we have to buy it."