A Geelong MP has expressed concern over alleged council mismanagement.

The federal MP representing Corangamite, Libby Coker, has raised serious concerns about what she perceives as “mismanagement” within the City of Greater Geelong, the largest regional council in Victoria. 

The council is reportedly planning to shut down local libraries, prompting Ms Coker to pen a letter expressing her “utmost disappointment” with the actions for addressing the council’s dire financial situation.

In her letter, addressed to all councillors and the acting CEO, Ms Coker voiced her dissatisfaction, stating; “Communities are now paying the price for the council's mismanagement”.

She further criticised the lack of consultation with the community regarding significant cuts in various council services and facilities. 

Ms Coker emphasised the need for stability and certainty in council services and infrastructure, asserting that the council has failed to fulfil its duty of delivering services and facilities efficiently.

Among her concerns, Ms Coker highlighted the proposed closure of three local libraries, the withdrawal of funding from the G21 Alliance advocacy body, city redundancies, reduced access to aquatic facilities, and additional services impacted by cost-cutting measures.

Ms Coker said the budget cuts could affect projects that had received state or federal funding. 

“The closure of libraries in the Geelong region is just the tip of the iceberg,” she said. 

Responding to Ms Coker's letter, Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan acknowledged that local MPs had been briefed about the city's proposed budget, and assured that her submission to the draft budget process would be taken into consideration. 

Cr Sullivan said the council needs to make difficult funding decisions due to significant financial pressure resulting from rising costs. 

“We have been clear that we are facing significant financial pressure due to rising costs, and as a result are having to make difficult funding decisions across all of our operations so that we can continue to deliver the core services the community expects of us,” he said. 

The Geelong Regional Libraries Corporation (GRLC) recently released its draft budget, which included plans to close three libraries and reduce weekend opening hours at seven others. 

The GRLC cited a funding shortfall from the City of Greater Geelong as the reason behind these unpopular decisions. 

The corporation argued that the city's draft budget failed to allocate $1.118 million in funding to cover the initial running costs of two new libraries, as well as an additional $1.8 million in ongoing annual funding required for the new venues.

The city's draft budget outlined various cost-cutting measures, including postponing approximately $82 million worth of projects. 

Mayor Trent Sullivan explained that these cuts aimed to ensure the city could “literally stay afloat”. 

The city quickly shifted blame to the GRLC, with acting CEO Kaarina Phyland suggesting that the corporation should tighten its belt. 

“We will consider taking library services in-house if the GRLC cannot find a way to operate all of Geelong's libraries with the funding available,” she warned.

The letter from Ms Coker comes less than a year after a group of state MPs expressed their “growing concern and lack of confidence” in the City of Greater Geelong's ability to deliver major projects supported by Victorian government funding. 

There have also been calls for an inquiry into claims of “soft corruption” in the City of Greater Geelong's recruitment process.