CARDINIA Shire Council is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to attract a cinema to Pakenham.

That’s the message from chief executive officer Garry McQuillan, who told residents at a recent Lakeside community forum the council was confident it would soon achieve what has been a long-running ambition.

“We’re striving to get a cinema operator into town,” Mr McQuillan said. “We’ve been trying for a couple of years.

“The timing hasn’t been right, but we think now we have a better opportunity.”

Previous efforts have failed because the population was not considered big enough to sustain a cinema complex.

Mr McQuillan said it was unlikely a Pakenham cinema operation would rival the Village complex at Fountain Gate in size but would provide a much-wanted service for residents.