THE Mount Alexander Shire Council has agreed to meet the Castlemaine Country Women’s Association to discuss new room rental charges.

The CWA and council are at loggerheads after the council demanded the group pay more than $2500 if it wants to continue using the Ray Bradfield rooms for meetings and events.

The rooms are a council-owned facility in Castlemaine’s Victory Park in the town centre.

The CWA says it handed its original club room over to the council in 1996 in exchange for a guarantee it could use the Ray Bradfield rooms free of charge, but the council says it has no written documentation of any agreement.

Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards last week requested a meeting between herself, mayor Janet Cropley, Mount Alexander Shire CEO Phil Rowland and members of the Castlemaine CWA.

“We’re not quite sure why we need to meet with Maree Edwards,” Cr Cropley said. “But we will meet up with them.

“I’ve actually met with the CWA on several occasions over this issue.”

Ms Edwards has lodged a Freedom of Information request with the shire and has accused Cr Cropley of a cover-up.

“The FOI documents requested are those that show that the CWA in Castlemaine entered into a legitimate arrangement to give up their former rooms at Victory Park and in return be given free use of the Ray Bradfield rooms in perpetuity for as long as they continue to meet,” Ms Edwards said. “Claims by the mayor that no documents exist will be tested.”

Ms Edwards plans to speak about the dispute in parliament this week.

“I will be putting a question on notice to the Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell and ask why the National Party minister for local government won’t come out from hiding and support the Castlemaine Country Women’s Association,” she said.

Central Victoria Group CWA president Sandra Webb said members were upset about the whole situation.

“We were absolutely astounded to hear the mayor recently say, ‘There is nothing special about the CWA’,” she said.

“The CWA has a Sustainable Sewing program and we pack pamper bags for people, the homeless or people affected by fires and floods, and Castlemaine does a lot of work.

“It’s sad the mayor doesn’t realise the extent of just what they do.”

The Castlemaine Football and Netball Club has offered the CWA use of its clubrooms.

“We read about it all in the newspaper and we’re more than happy to help out,” general manager Stuart Dunn said.