Pool vote genuine, says mayoral hope

CENTRAL Ward councillor Kate Lempriere has fended off claims she voted for the Pakenham pool fix to shore up her bid to be Cardinia’s next mayor.
Cr Lempriere changed her previous stance against the restoration, voting alongside mayor Bill Ronald and propool councillors.
Cr Doug Hamilton – Cr Lempriere’s likely opponent for the mayoral job – noted during the debate at last Monday’s meeting that she had had a significant change of attitude.
“She’s gone from saying ‘over my dead body’ to saying that $1 million to fix the pool is cheap,” Cr Hamilton said.
Some of council’s regular critics also made similar claims in the wake of the meeting.
But Cr Lempriere quashed any suggestion of an ulterior motive.
She said her decision was made after weighing up the cost of the pool restoration against the resulting benefit the rejuvenated facility would provide the community.
“I decided to vote for the pool not to get a handclap or justify anything,” Cr Lempriere said. “Not to win over council. I thought of what it means to residents.”