HUNDREDS of Brimbank residents have sought help to resolve disputes with their neighbours.

The Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria (DSCV) received 727 calls for advice and assistance from Brimbank residents over the past financial year, the highest number of calls of any municipality in the state.

A total of 175 cases were referred for mediation but only 38 resulted in mediation sessions being held.

The sessions were held at the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court, which is currently trialling a pilot civil mediation program.

The most common complaints were disputes about fences, intimidation, bullying and intruding on another person’s property uninvited.

Other disputes centred on trees and shrubs, property damage and problems with contracting.Attorney General Rob Hulls said the high number of calls from Brimbank residents was a testament to the success of Sunshine’s civil mediation pilot.

“The initiative is a good example of the benefits of mediation to resolve disputes, as mediation increases access to justice for those with limited financial means and reduces the costs to the courts and the community,” Mr Hulls said.

More than 17,000 calls were made to the DSCV hotline over the past year, 815 of which were resolved through mediation, up from 589 the previous year.

Mr Hulls said the increase in mediations proved people were taking advantage of a better way to solve their problems.

For information on mediation services, check out website www.disputes.vic.gov.au/reachingagreement.