Concerns over dispute
COUNCILLORS are concerned a neighbourhood dispute in the Elbow Valley area will not go away and is at risk of further deteriorating.
Their comments come after the Daily News reported on a backyard dispute which erupted when one landholder built a fence cutting across a road providing access to their neighbours' properties.
A survey carried out by the landholder indicated that the fence was in the correct location and that the constructed road entered the property in a number of locations.
Cr Ross Bartley raised the issue as he was contacted by another nearby landholder who also wants to fence his property so he can keep his cattle, but is concerned about creating further problems.
Cr Bartley also expressed concerns that council machinery had been moved into the area to assist with constructing a new road.
“I don't know if it's true or not, but that's not our charter,” he said.
He asked if council still had a policy that if the landholder had a survey done and it was discovered the road was built on his property, council would pay for the survey.
But the Mayor and CEO said they were not aware of it being a policy as much as a one-off in a previous case.
“I'm worried the situation has the possibility of deteriorating further,” Cr Bartley added.
The engineering department advised that council has no responsibility to identify property boundaries and warned if council were to go down that track, it would be a huge expenditure.
It's very frustrating,” Cr Bartley said. Mayor Ron Bellingham said the issue was “not going to go away in the short term”.