CR STITFOLD: Councillors, Council officers, members of the public gallery
and the broader community following the meeting via live-streaming, welcome
to the 19 March 2024 Council meeting.
In accordance with Council's Governance Rules, members
of the community were afforded the opportunity
to provide a written statement or request to speak in relation
to eligible agenda items for tonight's meeting.
This meeting is being recorded and streamed live on the internet
to enhance the accessibility of Council meetings
to the broader Bayside community.
The recordings are archived and available on Council's website.
All care is taken to maintain your privacy.
However, as a visitor in the public gallery,
your presence may be recorded.
A reminder also to Councillors, officers and members of the public gallery
to check that your mobile phones are switched off or placed on silent
during the meeting.
Thank you, Councillors.
We will now commence with the items on the agenda.
- I would like to invite Councillor El Mouallem
to read the prayer.
Could all present who are able please stand.
CR EL MOUALLEM: O God, bless this City, Bayside, give us courage, strength
and wisdom, so that our deliberations may be
for the good of all.
Amen.
CR STITFOLD: The Acknowledgement of Country
- please remain standing and I would like to invite Councillor Evans
to read the Acknowledgement of Country.
CR EVANS: Oh, thank you, Madam Mayor.
Bayside City Council proudly acknowledges the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation
as the traditional owners and custodians of this land and we pay our respects
to their Elders past, present and emerging as well as any Aboriginal or Torres Strait
Islander community members with us today.
Council acknowledges the Bunurong's continuing relationship to the land
and waterways and respects that their connection
and spiritual identity is maintained through ancient ceremonies, songlines,
dance, art and living culture.
Council pays tribute to the invaluable contribution
of the Bunurong and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders
who have guided and also continue to guide the work we do.
CR STITFOLD: There are no apologies for this evening's meeting.
I would like to acknowledge the attendance in chamber of the former Mayor of Bayside,
Councillor James Long BM JP.
Declarations of Interest
- Councillor Castelli, I understand you have a declaration
of interest.
CR CASTELLI: Yes, I do.
It's 10.4, the Dendy Beach Management Plan, and that
is due to my partner owning a bathing box in the vicinity of that area.
CR STITFOLD: So is that a general conflict of interest?
CR CASTELLI: Yes, it is general.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Councillor Castelli.
Councillor Samuel-King?
CR SAMUEL-KING: I have a number of conflicts of interest.
So on 8.3, 8.4, 10.7, 10.3, it's a general conflict of interest
in that my partner is the strategic consultant
for Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve, and then on 10.4,
given that the Dendy Beach Visitor Management Plan includes Green Point
and I own a property across the road from Green Point,
I'll declare a general conflict of interest with that one as well.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Councillor Samuel-King.
We move on to item number 5, Adoption and confirmation of the minutes
of the previous meetings, 5.1, confirmation of the minutes
of the Bayside City Council meeting held on 20 February 2024, do I have a mover?
CR EVANS: Move, Madam Mayor.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans, seconded Councillor Castelli.
All those in favour
- Councillors Castelli, del Porto, Evans, Martin, Samuel-King, El Mouallem
and Stitfold.
Carried.
There are none against.
Public Question Time
- in accordance with Council's Governance Rules,
there will be a maximum of 15 minutes allocated
for Public Question Time.
The questions and responses read out during this time
will be published in the minutes.
All questions, even those not read out in the allotted time,
will be responded to in writing.
No more than two questions, with a maximum of two parts to each question,
are permitted per individual.
The reading of each question will be limited to the question only.
Any associated preamble will not be read out unless required for clarity.
It should also be noted that on occasion the CEO or Mayor may determine
to redact or disallow a question on the basis that it does not comply
with Council's Governance Rules.
There were 23 public questions received.
Mrs Victoria Smith
- Mrs Victoria Smith submitted a question related to the North Brighton Children's
Centre and Mrs Smith asked: What is proposed for the space which was used
as Brighton Playroom at the North Brighton Children's Centre?
Will another occasional care facility be provided in this space?
Response from the CEO.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, plans for future utilisation
of the space previously used by the Brighton Playroom
at the North Brighton Children's Centre are currently being considered,
including conversations with interested community groups
and members.
This is being undertaken within the broader context
of the Early Years Infrastructure Plan, which is currently in review.
CR STITFOLD: Question number 2, from Mr George Reynolds.
Mr George Reynolds submitted a question regarding Council's 2021-22
accounting statement and Mr Reynolds asked: I ask a question
in relation to an $18.05 million payment to the Victorian School Building Authority
(a) As Council, in Note 5.2(b) of its 2021-22
accounting statement recorded that the pre-payment
was to be recorded as a right-of-use asset when complete,
why was the asset not delivered to Council as contracted?
And (b), as the asset has now been delivered
to a newly formed entity named the Bayside and District Netball Association,
has Council demanded the return of the pre-payment?
Response from the CEO.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, in response to part (a) of the question,
the project was delivered in accordance with the joint use agreement
between the Minister for Education, Sandringham College
and Bayside City Council.
In response to part (b) of the question, Bayside District Netball Association
continue to operate under the same ABN, just registering a new business name that
better reflects the community it serves.
CR STITFOLD: Mr George Reynolds submitted a further question.
The question is regarding enforcement of Council's local law
and Mr Reynolds asked: I ask a question about Council officers' enforcement
of Local Law No.
2 for claimed infringements related to events which take place
on private land.
(a) as section 86 of the local Government Act 2020 and s124
of the Local Government Act 1989 (now revoked) both state that a Local Law must
be considered to be a by-law and not enforceable by the Supreme Court,
why do Council staff continue to issue infringement notices?
And (b), will Councillors now seek to identify those residents
and ratepayers improperly treated by false enforcement procedures served
during the past four years of their Council stewardship
and ensure that adequate reparation and compensation is paid?
Response from the CEO.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, Council's Neighbourhood Amenity Local Law
2021 (the Local Law) is the current local law
since 1 July 2021 made under the provisions
of the Local Government Act 1898.
A local law made under the Local Government Act 1989
continues in force and may be amended or revoked
by a local law made under the new Act.
Section 86 of the Local Government Act 2020 carries
over the provisions from section 124 of the Local Government Act 1989 setting
out that a person can dispute the validity of a Local Law at the Supreme Court.
Both Acts enable infringements to be issued for alleged offences
against local laws as an alternative to prosecution.
Infringements issued for alleged offences of the Local Law are legally enforceable.
CR STITFOLD: Question number 4 from Mr Jack Leigh.
Mr Jack Leigh submitted a question related to viewership of Bayside Council meetings
and Mr Leigh asked: For each of the Bayside Council meeting dates
listed below
- 21 February 23, 21 March 23, 18 April 23, 16 May 23, 27 June 23, 18 July 23,
15 August 23, 19 September 23, 17 October 23, 21 November 23,
19 December 23
- (a) to provide the total number of those watching the Council meetings
listed dates online each month; (b) to include a breakdown of the numbers
of Bayside staff or contractors watching with a separate list
for any other person watching online each month.
Response from the CEO.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, there were 933 live views
for the period in question.
Detailed statistics have been compiled for the 11 months of data requested which
will be sent to Mr Leigh in a formal response
to the question.
However, no specific data is available to differentiate the various IP
addresses for staff, contractors and the public.
CR STITFOLD: Question number 5.
Mr Geoff Leigh submitted a further question.
The question relates to personnel matters and Mr Leigh asked: Excluding the salary
that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) received in the financial years 2022
and 2023, provide full details of any and all other moneys paid to the CEO
by Bayside Council in the financial years of 2022 and 2023 (a) the item claimed
and the amount paid; (b) in the event the CEO is provided
with a car, list type and cost paid by Bayside Council.
I will provide the response.
Part A
- as CEO, he did not claim any reimbursement
of costs for the financial years 2022 and 2023.
Part B, the CEO was provided with a Mazda CX-5 during 2021-22
and 2022-23 and the Council contribution for this vehicle, including FBT,
was $24,069.40 for 2021-22 and $24,033.97 for 2022-23.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, perhaps I'd just like
to make one clarification.
So the paperwork you're reading off was changed later in the day.
So the reimbursement of costs for the 2022 financial year was $72.45,
which was paid for a breakfast for five staff, so just
to be completely clear on the record.
CR STITFOLD: Sorry, and apologies, there were two sheets.
Question number 6, Mr Leigh Funston.
Mr Funston submitted a question regarding personnel matters
and Mr Funston asked: (a) approximately what percentage
of Bayside City Council's directors and executive managers who report
to the CEO live in the Bayside local government area?
(b) approximately what percentage of all other Bayside City Council staff live
in the Bayside local government area?
Response from the CEO.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, in response to part (a) of the question,
20% of Bayside City Council's executive team live in the municipality.
In response to part (b), 27.5% of all Bayside City Council staff reside
in the municipality.
CR STITFOLD: Question number 7, from Mr Leigh Funston.
Mr Funston submitted a further question regarding expenditure on maintenance
of public parks, gardens and open space and Mr Funston asked:
(a) in the last financial year, how much did Bayside City Council spend
on the maintenance of public parks, gardens and open space areas?
(b) how does that expenditure level compare to the amount spent
by Bayside City Council on the maintenance of public parks, gardens
and open spaces ten years ago?
Response from the CEO.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, in response to part (a) of the question,
the cost of maintenance of public parks, gardens and open space for the 2022-23
year was $13,715.551.
In response to part (b), the cost of maintenance of public parks, gardens
and open space for 2013-14 was $9,327,150.
CR STITFOLD: Question number 8, from Mr Paul Langley.
Mr Paul Langley submitted a question regarding the Bayside Netball Centre
and Mr Langley asked: My question is about the Bayside Netball Centre
and the Council's resolution of the meeting of 25 February 2021.
(a) as the resolution of 25 February 2021 was not complied with
by Council staff, particularly in relation to item 8, which authorised the CEO
to sign a Community Joint Use Agreement, and item 10, to provide the Sandringham
and District Netball Association (now defunct) with a licence for community use,
why was the venture allowed to proceed to completion in the second half of 2023?
(b) Why has the CEO entered into a tripartite agreement
with the school and the Bayside and District Netball Association
without any resolution from Council?
Response from the CEO.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, in response to part (a) of the question,
consistent with Council's decision at its 25 February 2021 Special Meeting,
I have signed a Community Joint Use Agreement on behalf of Council in relation
to the Bayside Community Sports Centre at Holloway Road with the Minister
for Education, Sandringham College and Bayside City Council.
The question is somewhat misleading in that it indicates that the Sandringham
and District Netball Association is defunct.
That's not correct.
In reality, the entity has changed its name
to better represent the fact that it serves all of Bayside.
The change in entity name has no bearing on the project delivery or Council's
decision to enter into an agreement in relation to the site.
Response to part (b) of the question, the agreements entered into in relation
to the Bayside Community Sports Centre at Holloway Road are consistent
with Council's adopted position.
A change of business name for the same entity does not require
a report to Council.
CR STITFOLD: Question number 9, Mr Robert Telling.
Mr Robert Telling submitted a question regarding Council's Reconciliation Action
Plan Advisory Group and Mr Telling asked: My question relates specifically
to the Charter relating to the Reconciliation Action Plan
(RAP) Advisory Committee.
2 of the 9 stated objectives of the RAP Advisory Groups are
the following items: assist in planning community engagement
to achieve reconciliation goals and outcomes; support Council to engage
with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations
and community members to achieve reconciliation goals
and outcomes.
A, Can Council please clarify exactly what are these stated
"reconciliation goals and outcomes"?
B, could Council outline how these "reconciliation goals and outcomes"
would be measured?
Response from the CEO.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, in response to part A of the question,
Council's Innovate and Reconciliation Action Plan is based
on Reconciliation Australia's RAP Program.
This aims to advance the five dimensions
of reconciliation
- race relations, equality and equity, institutional integrity, unity,
and historical acceptance.
Council's Innovate RAP focuses on four key goals in order
to progress these dimensions.
The key goals focus on relationships, respect, opportunities and governance.
The Bayside Reconciliation Action Plan is published on Council's website.
In response to part B of the question, the four goals of the RAP are measured
through the implementation of deliverable actions that are tracked
quarterly against progress indicators as well
as an independent biannual assessment process conducted
by Reconciliation Australia.
CR STITFOLD: Question number 10, Ms Lindsey Joffe.
Ms Lindsey Joffe submitted a question regarding Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve
and Ms Joffe asked: A, why does the Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve
need to be rezoned if the current zoning (PPRZ) together
with the Masterplan would adequately enable the protection and conservation
of those areas of significance that are outlined
in the Masterplan?
B, on what basis is the rezoning being sought
by the Council given that the Masterplan, which proposes
to partially or completely exclude the public from certain areas
of the Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve, is inconsistent with both the purpose
for which this Crown land is permanently reserved
and the Council's role as committee of management to manage, improve, maintain
and control the reserve for the purposes for which it is reserved?
Response from the CEO.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, in response to part A of the question,
the rezoning of Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve
from Public Park and Recreation Zone to Public Conservation Resource Zone was
identified as an action in the adopted Bayside
Urban Forest Strategy 2022-2040.
In response to part B of the question, rezoning the Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve
from Public Park and Recreation Zone to Public Conservation
and Resource Zone does not propose any changes to public access and use.
CR STITFOLD: Question number 11, from Mr Angus Morrison.
Mr Angus Morrison submitted a question regarding Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve
and Mr Morrison asked: What are the specific changes
to the public access and use, including on-leash dog walking
at Yalukit Willam Reserve and the Highett Grassy Woodland,
as a result of the proposed rezoning as the rezoning must serve a purpose
with associated actions and implications?
Response from the CEO.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, rezoning the Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve
from Public Park and Recreation Zone to Public Conservation
and Resource Zone does not propose any changes to public access and use
of the reserve.
CR STITFOLD: Question number 12, Mr Angus Morrison,
Mr Angus Morrison submitted a further question.
The question is regarding a recommendation of Council's Reconciliation Action Plan
Advisory Group and Mr Morrison asked: Where does the Council's procurement
process and policy stand on the recommendation
of the RAP Advisory Group to work with First Nations suppliers as soon
as possible, actively discriminating in favour of the First Nations suppliers
for the Yalukit Willam Reserve?
Response from the CEO.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, the Reconciliation Action Plan Advisory
Group encouraged Council to work with First Nations suppliers as early
as possible through the procurement
process where appropriate.
Council's current Procurement Policy 2021-25 states that: Council will seek
to advance economic, environmental and social objectives
to benefit the community directly by purchasing from
for social benefit entities.
At its discretion, Council may apply a preference of up
to 10% in the evaluation of proposals that are (i)
from social enterprises or include social enterprises in their supply chain;
and (ii) are from Indigenous suppliers or include
Indigenous suppliers in their supply chain.
Council seeks to address disadvantage by encouraging diversity, acceptance,
fairness, compassion, inclusiveness and access for people of all abilities
in its purchasing by seeking to create new jobs and opportunities
for people who may be struggling to find work;
target cohorts that may be experiencing economic exclusion;
reinvigorate depressed or marginalised communities;
and improve equity of access to opportunities.
CR STITFOLD: That concludes Public Question Time as the maximum
of 15 minutes allocated has been reached.
The questions and responses read out will be published in the minutes.
All questions, including those that were not able
to be answered in the allotted time, will be responded to in writing.
Section 8, Minutes of Advisory Committees.
8.1, records of meetings held under the auspices of Council.
Can I have a mover?
Could I have a mover?
CR DEL PORTO: So move.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor del Porto.
CR EVANS: Second.
CR STITFOLD: Seconded by Councillor Evans.
All those in favour
- Councillors Castelli, del Porto, Evans, Martin, Samuel-King, El Mouallem,
and Stitfold.
Carried.
There are none against.
8.2, Minutes of the Billilla Advisory Committee Meeting
held on 13 December 2023.
Councillors, you will be aware of a revised attachment circulated
and published on Council's website in relation to this report.
There is also an amended officers'
recommendation.
I will read the changes: "that the Billilla Advisory Committee
endorses the updated Draft Billilla Strategic Business Plan subject
to the following inclusion relating to section 3.8.1 as"
- yes.
CR DEL PORTO: Yes, I'd like to move with the changes you've just read.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor del Porto.
Seconded Councillor El Mouallem.
CR DEL PORTO: Madam Mayor, I'd like to say a couple of words.
Thank you.
Madam Mayor, the actual item that's been amended
by the word "endorses"
talks about the strategic business plan for Billilla
and I thought I'd just clarify that this business plan provides only estimates
for the operating hours and attendances for figures of the future
of the Billilla events.
The amenity of residents and their quality of life will always be front and centre
of any decision to have any events at Billilla, just to clarify that.
And also I just wanted to point out to the Council that
under general business, two important items were moved.
One was the foundation proposal, which recommends for Council
to obtain a legal opinion on the legal ramifications
and obligations associated with establishing a foundation
for Billilla to general philanthropic support
and a deductible gift recipient endorsement by the ATO.
But the other thing that the minutes also show is that the advisory committee
received a report that at a future meeting Council officers would
come up with their recommendations about establishing a Friends of Billilla,
including format, modelling of the report, reporting, legal requirements
because the committee felt that friends of Billilla was something they'd like
to establish as well.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you.
All those in favour
- CR EL MOUALLEM: I'd just like to bring to your attention also on page 7
of 8 that the Billilla Advisory Committee support the draft charter and that is
for the reference that the membership of the committee must consist
of a majority of Bayside residents.
So we brought to their attention that we are looking into improving the charter
for committees and the committee is in support of the majority of
all the committee members being Bayside residents.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Councillor El Mouallem.
Did anybody else?
Councillor Evans.
CR EVANS: Thank you.
Yes, just endorsing what Councillor del Porto
said.
The establishment of Friends of Billilla I thoroughly support.
As you know, the Friends of Black Rock House has worked really well
down in Ebden Avenue and to set up a friends group for Billilla I think
is a really good thing to do, model it on something to do with the Friends
of Black Rock house, have interchanges between the two and I think it
will work really well, so thoroughly support the friends
idea at Billilla.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans?
There are no other Councillors wishing to speak.
All those in favour
- Councillors Castelli, del Porto, Evans, Martin, Samuel-King, El Mouallem,
and Stitfold.
Carried.
There are none against.
Councillor Samuel-King, I believe you have a conflict.
CR SAMUEL-KING: Yes, my partner is the strategic consultant
for the Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve development, so I've filled
out the red form and I'll step out of the meeting.
CR STITFOLD: 8.3
- CR DEL PORTO: Yes, I'd like to move as printed.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Councillor del Porto, and seconded
by Councillor El Mouallem.
CR DEL PORTO: Madam Mayor, just quickly to point out that we had a meeting
on 8 February 2024 and that one of the items that the committee felt
strongly about was the proposed rezoning of the Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve
and the committee recommended that Council seek legal advice
regarding the uses allowed under the rezoning from a Public Park
and Recreation Zone to a Public Conservation
and Resource Zone.
I guess I'm raising this because it's relevant
to the Planning Scheme Amendment C199 on 10.3, which we'll talk
about in a little while.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor El Mouallem, did you wish?
Councillor Evans?
CR EVANS: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Yes, just another point in this report, the appointment
of the architect in the design of the Yalukit Willam Reserve Gateway
Building, I had
- Councillor El Mouallem and I were on the judging panel for that.
Exemplary architect and he did come and present
to a committee meeting of Councillors, really a switched-on young man
and I think we'll get a very, very good building out of that,
something that we'll be proud of as a Gateway Building for us
in an architectural form.
Thank you, Madam Mayor.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor del Porto.
CR DEL PORTO: Just quickly, absolutely right.
They presented to us as well at the committee
and we were really impressed, really amazing.
I'm not an architect, but everyone just thought it was
a very unusual and innovative design and it included all these water features
which would be part of the pond.
So we thought it was just a really, really good design.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Councillors.
All those in favour
- Councillors Castelli, del Porto, Evans, Martin, El Mouallem, Stitfold.
Carried.
There were none against.
Could we have Councillor Samuel-King brought back to the chamber, please?
Apologies, Councillor Samuel-King has a conflict on this item also.
So Councillors, 8.4, Minutes of the Reconciliation Action Plan Advisory
Group meeting held on 14 February 2024.
Do I have a mover, please?
Could I have a mover, please?
CR EVANS: I'm happy to move.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans and seconded by Councillor del Porto.
Did you wish to speak?
CR EVANS: No.
CR DEL PORTO: No, thanks.
CR EL MOUALLEM: I've got a question, Madam Mayor.
Under the recommendation on page 34, point 1,
"the Reconciliation Action Plan Advisory Group recommended Council be encouraged
to work with First Nations suppliers as early as possible
through the procurement process related to the design, delivery and activation
of the site where appropriate".
I just heard in the question time on question 12 from Mr Angus Morrison that
at its discretion Council may apply a preference of up
to 10% in the evaluation of proposal.
So a question relating to this, does that mean that we are happy
to pay 10% more to engage First Nations suppliers
on this project?
Am I interpreting this right?
MS TILLA BUDEN: Through you, Chair, I'm happy
to take that one, procurement policy, but no, it's a preference
of 10% in the evaluation process, so 10% of the overall evaluation mark,
not the cost.
CR EL MOUALLEM: Not the cost.
CR STITFOLD: Councillors, all those in favour
- Councillors Castelli, del Porto, Evans, Martin, El Mouallem, and Stitfold.
Carried.
There are none against.
Thank you.
Could Councillor Samuel-King return to the chamber.
Section 9, Reports by Special Committees.
There were no Reports by Special Committees.
Section 10, Reports by the Organisation.
Councillors and members of the gallery, there were two written statements received
to items on the agenda for tonight's meeting.
In addition, there were seven requests to speak received.
In accordance with Council's Governance Rules,
we will hear from registered speakers, who will each have 2 minutes
to make their presentation.
The time will be electronically displayed on the screen above and
after your time has expired, you will hear this sound.
CR DEL PORTO: Very subtle.
CR STITFOLD: There will be (buzzer sounds).
There is the sound.
A reminder also to the speakers to please contain your presentation
to the subject matter.
Please also ensure your comments are respectful and refrain
from making any derogatory or defamatory comments of any Councillor, member
of Council staff or member of the community.
Should you be in breach of this requirement, your presentation
will be immediately terminated and you will be asked to return to your seat.
Should you have any documents or pictures to be circulated to Councillors as part
of your presentation, please indicate when you approach
the speaker's table and the Governance Manager
will review the documents first and assist in distributing them to each Councillor.
To ensure the best audio experience for the gallery
and those following the meeting online, if speakers, officers
and Councillors could also remember to speak directly into the microphones.
10.1, Year 4 Review of Council Plan (2021-25)
and Year 4 Annual Action Plan.
Councillors, you will be aware of an amended officers' recommendation
for this item.
I will read the changes.
Part 2, "authorises Council officers to make editorial changes specifically
relating to the title of the Highett Grassy Woodland".
Do I have a mover, please?
Councillor Martin, seconded by Councillor Samuel-King.
Councillor Martin.
CR MARTIN: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
The review of the Council plan in our last year
of Council has been completed and I think the outcome of
all the work that's been done by the officers
and the Council has produced a very achievable and realistic plan
for us going forward.
All of the actions and measurables of those actions are documented
in the plan and I recommend the community access those
so they can see what both the strategic focus is and the annual focuses are.
I'll just finish by picking out a couple of little things that people may not be
aware of, but 9% of Bayside residents live in poverty
and that means not having enough available income to afford life's necessities,
such as food, clothing and health care.
Of these, 50% are women and they comprise the majority
of Bayside adults living in poverty.
2.9% live in public housing and 2,981, or 7.6%, experiencing housing stress.
Also in the community is 12,136 carers and they're providing unpaid assistance
to a person with a disability, chronic illness or old age.
4,734 people in our community need
assistance in their day-to-day lives and 30.6% report one or more health
conditions.
The other thing I'd like to point out today is in relation
to social connectedness.
It is a matter that I've spoken about for six years now where our society seems
to be producing more and more people feeling disconnected
and isolated in their own community.
This plan puts in writing that 13.2% of our community reported feeling isolated
and out of contact from others.
These type of wake-up calls are very, very important.
It takes a village to raise a child, but it takes a whole community to engage
with people who will become disconnected with all the axillary problems
that can happen if that disconnection continues
to the point of being completely isolated and becoming vulnerable.
So I really do feel that we spend a lot of time in this Council talking
about our assets and our plans and our much needed capital expenditure
program, but at the end of the day it is the people that we need to keep an eye
on and having 9% of our residents, 7,500 of them, living in poverty and 57%
of them are women, it may be a line in the sand that
we should start looking seriously at how we can fix that given that I think
this Council as per head is one of the wealthiest councils in Australia.
The other point too is, you know, should we really be striving
to work much deeper with the Federal and State Governments to eat
into this 13.2% feeling isolated and out of contact for others?
These are the matters that really I see concerning and it may be that we need
to do more work in that space.
Thank you, Madam Mayor.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Councillor Martin.
Councillor Samuel-King.
CR SAMUEL-KING: Four years in it's great to see what
to me was an incredibly solid Council plan come to life.
And just to reflect back on our planet, without our planet we are nothing
and we are so blessed with this beautiful place.
It's been
- it's being an honour to see us look after it, particularly in relation
to doing what we can to reduce our community emissions.
Our people
- I echo Councillor Clarke Martin, absolutely invaluable
in what we're doing in the aged care space
It just warms the cockles of my heart.
Our place
- Bayside City Council is one of the most beautiful places
on the entire planet and to look after it, it is such a privilege.
And I promise to be open and accountable.
And civic leadership, without integrity we are nothing
and it's an honour to be part of this Council full of people and systems
with great integrity.
So thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Councillor Samuel-King.
Did anyone wish to speak?
CR EL MOUALLEM: I've just got a question, Madam Mayor.
Is it possible to get an idea about the expenditure on the goals,
the separate goals of planet, people, place and promise, how much each goal
is costing us?
MS KATHRYN TOZER: Through you, Chair, yes, so goal 1, Our Planet, 31.8 million;
goal 2, Our People, 15.8 million; goal 3, Our Place, 66.3 million; goal 4,
Our Promise, 17.1 million, totalling $131 million.
CR EL MOUALLEM: Thank you.
I'll just say a couple of quick words considering I just heard
from Councillor Martin the statistics about our people and people living
in poverty and his words that we need to do a bit more.
I am one of these people that I understand we need to take care of our planet,
but the overall figures, the numbers here, 31.8 million, seem to be a bit too much
and I really would have liked to see probably more expenditure spent
on our people and if there is possibility of reallocating some of the money towards
the people taking care of the people that we represent and,
you know, we can take care of the planet once we take care
of our place and the people first and we can move and spend the rest
on the planet.
So that's really just a remark I want to say in public.
CR STITFOLD: There are no other Councillors who wish to speak?
All those in favour
- Councillors Castelli, del Porto, Evans, Martin, Samuel-King, El Mouallem,
and Stitfold.
Carried.
There are none against.
Apologies, Councillor Martin, I forgot to see if you'd like to close.
10.2, Submission to the Suburban Rail Loop Draft Precinct
Vision for Cheltenham.
There were four requests to speak received to this item.
However, I understand Mr Derek Screen has since withdrawn his request.
Could the first speaker, Mr Geoff Leigh, please approach the speaker's table.
When you're ready, Mr Leigh.
MR GEOFF LEIGH: Thank you.
You will recall I came in here once before about the SRL.
Frankly, it's what I call a dodgy project which there's no planning
- there's no business case for it or anything else.
But leaving that aside for where we go for us as a community, I'm concerned
for a couple of reasons.
One, because of the pandemic, we now don't have local newspapers.
If we had local newspapers, this particular project would be all
over it for all the reasons that are going on.
When you look at what your officers have said,
they said it's a high vision thing, but there's no detail,
there's no Council involvement, there's no nothing but that
they support it.
They at least did their own study which showed that of the 221 people who
they actually asked, which looked like a reasonable study when I had a look
at it, 65% were against it, 28.5% were for it.
So I think our community does not know what this project is,
the effect that it's going to have.
This is about high-rise buildings that are going to be built
because it's the land capture after if they do this.
They're proposing to make a lot of money out of it.
Kingston recently had an exhibition on where you could go and vote
on which site you liked.
Five different programs they had, buildings they had, five
and eight storeys.
Under the planning changes that have now gone under the state,
this State Government can make whatever changes it wants to our residential areas
without you guys having any control over it at all
because you now don't have the power.
So what's happened, why aren't our Council putting
out something constructive that shows people, both the for and against
- I think there's too many against for my view, but I think you should have
a responsibility to put some information to our public because this project
is going to cause us a lot of hassle over a long period of time (buzzer sounds)
and cost us.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Mr Leigh.
Were there any questions of the speaker?
Councillor Castelli and then Councillor El Mouallem.
CR CASTELLI: Yes.
Thank you, Mr Leigh.
Given your
- CR STITFOLD: Councillor Castelli, could you stand, please?
CR CASTELLI: Yes, of course.
Yes, thank you, Mr Leigh.
Now, I do have a question for you given your comments.
What action, if any, can Bayside Council take
with either our community or the State Government?
MR GEOFF LEIGH: Okay, well, since we don't have any local papers
anymore, I think, as I made my point
- I think that there should be some information given to our community
about what this project is going to do and its effect because if you want
to have a close look at what goes on, for example, in Graham Road,
where the high rise is going to go, this is something that's going to come all
through this area if we're not careful and if you look at it, they're going
to need the houses because last month there was 50,000 people
on the immigration list into Australia.
And I'd like to quote one of my favourite friends in this, Bob Carr,
former Labor Premier, who said the immigration program that's
building this problem for us is a Ponzi scheme
and that's a Labor member of parliament saying it, not a Liberal.
So I think this is going to damage our
- it's going to damage Bayside in a way that none of us can expect or see
in our lifetime is what I say.
It's going to change us and I'm against it.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Mr Leigh.
I think you've answered the question.
MR GEOFF LEIGH: I have.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor El Mouallem.
CR EL MOUALLEM: Yes, thank you.
Mr Leigh just mentioned that the State Government can make changes
to our residential zone without Council involvement.
I'd just like clarification either from Mr Leigh or from our officers
on this point if possible.
CR STITFOLD: I think that sounds like an officers question.
If there are no other questions for Mr Leigh, could you take a seat,
please?
MR GEOFF LEIGH: Sure.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Mr Cripps.
MR MATTHEW CRIPPS: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
The Minister for Planning has wide-reaching powers
under the Planning and Environment Act which enables her
to undertake rezonings or changes to the planning schemes across Victoria
without needing to consult.
So the assertion being put forward is correct that the Minister could use
the powers that she has at her disposal to undertake changes to controls.
CR EL MOUALLEM: Sorry, just a follow-up question.
So does that mean seeing 8
- and 10-level buildings is going to be a norm
in certain areas close to the stations, or higher?
MR MATTHEW CRIPPS: Through you, Madam Mayor, at this point
in time there's no detail on the specifics of the heights
within the documentation that's been circulated as part
of the Suburban Rail Loop visioning document.
It does provide some indicative images which suggests significantly sized
structures being erected within and across the precinct, 20 storeys
within the high or significant change area and the medium change area having heights
of up to 8 storeys, if you count the number of windows
within the pictures provided in the documents.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin, you had a question for the officers?
CR MARTIN: Yes.
Having studied the documentation and the history of the urban developments,
and I'm thinking of Ormond Station, could you give us a rough forecast when
you think they would be building these towers?
MR MATTHEW CRIPPS: Through you, Madam Mayor, can I confirm you were asking
the timeframe that the towers potentially could be constructed?
CR MARTIN: Very, very approximate.
MR MATTHEW CRIPPS: So through you, Madam Mayor,
the Suburban Rail Loop Authority have indicated that they anticipate or plan
to have the rail infrastructure operating by 2035.
It would be, I guess, understood that construction could be
occurring prior to that, but most likely within that period of time.
So we're talking 2035 onwards.
CR STITFOLD: Councillors, do I have a mover?
CR EVANS: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
CR STITFOLD: Oh, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Apologies.
The second speaker we have tonight is Ms Una Steele.
And I haven't forgotten you, Mr Hockley.
I will remember.
MS UNA STEELE: Evening.
That's alright.
CR STITFOLD: When you're ready, Ms Steele.
MS UNA STEELE: Okay.
State Government have proceeded with initial design and installation
of six new stations and railway lines.
The route is pointless and of no advantage to the majority of Melbourne.
Melbourne does not have the population to suit a circular rail loop.
It's more suited to radial connections
- ie, hub to hub.
There's been little discussion with local communities.
If there had, the authorities would have realised
we need additional useful improved infrastructure.
People in the Frankston, Dingley, Keysborough areas have been crying out
for years for stations.
Frankly, extending the rail lines of Beaumaris would be more advantageous.
But it's not about the route.
It's about the concrete jungles and high rises around these stations,
the 20-minute neighbourhood.
Government need accommodation for the influx of people and are looking
at doing that by building these precincts.
The public are quickly becoming aware of the damage to our suburbs, which
is already happening with Heatherton having cut off
and blocked streets.
Let's discuss the lack of transparency and knowledge of the cost
- $50 billion quoted in 2018, $216 billion and rising in 2024.
How could this even happen?
To let DoT run the show or even be part of the show is truly incomprehensible.
A much more complex project in London cost one-fifth of SRL
and has taken half the time.
This project needs to be cancelled.
Two other Councillors have already objected re loss of land and heritage.
We wish Bayside to do the same.
Bayside will ensure open space in its protection and amenity
is a priority, our vision for 2050.
When I look at the kids on skateboards at Sir William Fry Reserve,
I just think (buzzer sounds) sorry, you won't have that much longer.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Ms Steele.
Are there any questions for the speaker?
CR EL MOUALLEM: I've got a question for Ms Steele.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor El Mouallem.
CR EL MOUALLEM: Ms Steele, you mentioned that two other councils
have already objected.
Can you tell us
- MS UNA STEELE: Yes, Bundoora and Whitehorse.
CR EL MOUALLEM: Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillors, were there any other questions
of the speaker?
No.
Thank you, Ms Steele, you can take your seat.
Mr Andrew Hockley for Highett Progress Association,
please come to the speaker's table.
MR ANDREW HOCKLEY: Thank you, Mayor.
CR STITFOLD: When you're ready.
MR ANDREW HOCKLEY: The Highett Progress Association commends Council
for its submission to the SRL.
Council officers deserve praise for their efforts against tight deadlines
and limited information.
However, it's just the beginning.
There is so much more to do.
For six months, the Highett Progress Association has
advocated for close cooperation between the cities of Bayside
and Kingston.
We've been joined by Brad Rowswell, who stood up in Parliament last October
and also called for a collaborative approach.
Last week there was a meeting of the Mayors of Kingston
and Bayside heads of planning and the Highett Progress Association,
which was especially welcome.
However, if we only talk about things like harmonising street furniture
at the Highett Road shops, a bigger opportunity will be missed.
Bayside Council needs to allocate budget funding
to deliver a design framework in conjunction
with Kingston that reimagines the Highett Shopping Centre and station precinct,
shared pathways, community facilities and the chain
of parks that the twin projects of SRL and LXR will enable.
Remember LXR is a big part of this.
Maybe it needs a dedicated team of master planning experts
from both councils, place makers, landscapers, economists
and designers who can provide thought leadership as the structure plan emerges
in 25-26, which is not as far away as it sounds, by the way.
In the meantime, Council's forward financial plans must
prepare for contributions to new public infrastructure,
traffic planning facilities, trees and parks and trees.
Understand that we have absolutely no qualms about advocating
for a very significant shift in capital spending towards Highett
for reasons that should be self-evident.
Council should also review the economic and social contribution
of its land holdings within Highett and look for opportunities
to acquire strategic parcels that will help deliver what's needed when
you densify a suburb to this extent, and remember SRL
is not the only feature densifying Highett
Councillors, this is not business as usual.
To appreciate the nature and scale of the changes (buzzer sounds) come down
to Highett and walk around with us.
Remember what Highett will look like in 50 years' time
- CR STITFOLD: One moment.
I think there's a question from Councillor Martin for you.
CR MARTIN: Yes, look, thanks so much for coming down and giving us an update
on what your activities as an association have done.
I think I mentioned last time it was great to hear that you're up and about
and active.
Could I ask
- we obviously know that the Pennydale Association is engaged
with the current consultative arrangements
MR ANDREW HOCKLEY: Yes.
CR MARTIN: What other residential groups are involved that you're aware of over
in Kingston side or even Bayside side?
MR ANDREW HOCKLEY: Well, almost none.
Councillor, we're part of the consultative
- we have a couple of members on the consultative panel which
is now working with SRL on the structure plan,
which represents probably four weekends over the next six months to work
with their head of planning and other executives.
But we're not aware of many groups in Kingston other than some
of the protest groups which have had a bit of a say to date.
CR MARTIN: Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: There are no other questions.
Thank you, Mr Hockley.
You can resume your seat.
Do I have a mover?
Councillor Evans.
CR EVANS: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Madam Mayor, I'd like to move an alternative motion,
"that Council requests that the suburban"
- or "that Council endorses the Council officers' submission
to the Suburban Rail Loop Draft Precinct Vision Paper subject
to the following inclusions, that Council requests that the Suburban
Rail Loop Authority facilitates the purchase
of the Laminex site buffer area on Jack Road for the provision
of additional open space and that no support is provided
for the narrowing of Bay Road".
CR STITFOLD: Do I have a seconder?
CR MARTIN: Happy to second.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin.
Councillor Evans.
CR EVANS: Thank you, Madam Mayor, and I thank the residents for coming down
and speaking about the Suburban Rail Loop.
Yes, I do hear what residents are saying about it and I'm not quite sure
- I'm happy to add into any motion of this that we support
more community consultation, absolutely happy about that.
However, my main focus is on the positives to try to get to the Suburban Rail Loop
to say they are taking away a great part of the William Fry Reserve open space
and we're to deliver new open space to our community.
Now, the Laminex site right along from Stewart Street
to Bay Road has a fence going right down and it could be moved another five,
six metres inland to provide a complete open buffer zone
there, creating more green space along that particular area.
Again, I think this would be a perfect example
for the Suburban Rail Loop to say if they are taking green space away
from communities at the Sir William Fry Reserve,
that they can put it back into the communities as a buffer zone
from the Pennydale residents, which I represent, along Jack Road
and a buffer zone between that and the commercial or industrial site
next to it.
Also, there was talk about the narrowing of Bay Road within there I think
and I can hear no support from the community that I represent
about the narrowing of Bay Road, so both positives, I still would also
- if somebody wants to move an amendment to include more consultation about
- I'm happy to include that.
However, I do think that we must concentrate
on trying to get more green space within that particular thing
because I know that they're taking so much away in the Sir William Fry Reserve.
So happy to support an amendment providing that it says more consultation.
CR SAMUEL-KING: Madam Mayor, I think just in relation to moving an amendment.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin seconded.
CR SAMUEL-KING: Sure.
I just have a possible amendment.
CR STITFOLD: Sorry, Councillor Samuel-King , are you asking a question?
CR SAMUEL-KING: Yes.
May I move an amendment after the seconder?
Let me know when is the right time and how.
CR MARTIN: Thanks very much, Madam Mayor, and thanks for the speakers coming down.
I did, you know, reflect recently on whether, you know
- I think I heard one of the speakers say whether this project is going to happen
and we were in that phase a few months ago
- right up to a few months ago, but I have now formed the view that this
project is definitely going to happen.
There is seemingly no doubt about that.
So our submission to the Suburban Rail Loop
is extremely sound.
It makes very good sense to me that the Council is advocating
for our community and to make sure that we're engaged
in the process and not left behind fighting a rearguard action that
is, you know, at the end of the day going to be unsuccessful
in my view the way that we have had this briefed to us,
the way this project is proceeding.
I think the actual serious time was when they signed the contracts
for the tunnel boring machines.
They are billions of dollars of contracts.
That's not going to be able to be unwound.
So the best thing, in my opinion, councils can do is wait and engage,
like Councillor Evans has just suggested, finding win-wins
that the Council can achieve and this Council has been very effective
in doing that in the past.
I can see the Cheltenham railway project, where Council achieved a lot
in that process.
We can turn to the CSIRO site, where we achieved a great deal
of open space, and I can see the same sort of work getting done here.
It will be very interesting to see the level crossing removal project
and how far they want to take the elevated rail
into the Suburban Rail Loop precinct.
The deeper they go into that precinct, the more community connection
across the parklands can be made and that type of strategic planning
with the Suburban Rail Loop and the level crossing removal
is just one indication of how much more connection
and how much open space can be achieved through that.
But nothing will be achieved if we bury our heads in the sand,
just say, "No, no, no",
complain, pretend it's not going to happen, make spurious allegations
about things and people will just bypass Bayside, go around us.
It's actually not in our municipality and we'll probably achieve, you know,
like I said earlier, not a great deal.
However, through a submission like this that has been well thought out,
it's gone to community consultation, I think the Suburban Rail Loop Authority
and the State Government itself will see a municipality that is willing
to work with others to achieve great outcomes
for the community in what has been trying to do with this rail loop.
In relation to the underground in the UK, I did see a meeting many, many,
many years ago where the engineers and the town planners were presented
with things from a similar organisation like the Suburban Rail Loop and at the end
of the presentation one of the Councillors or members
of this meeting asked, "Well, how long is this all going to take"
and the engineer quite confidently said, "I think it will be all done within
about 200 years"
(bell rings) and that project is now about 180 years in.
So I think we've got a long way to go with the tunnel boring and this project.
Thanks.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Samuel-King, I understand that you would like
to either incorporate changes or move an amendment
- which was it?
CR SAMUEL-KING: Yes, I'm hoping that the mover may support.
CR STITFOLD: To incorporate changes?
CR SAMUEL-KING: To incorporate.
CR STITFOLD: Okay, and the changes are?
CR SAMUEL-KING: So it would be "that Bayside highlights our community's
strong objections to the project".
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans, are you happy with that amendment?
CR EVANS: I'm happy with that if it comes as the third point, so we give pluses
and then we give
- CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin, do you support that change?
CR MARTIN: I just want to be taken to the data on that one.
Have you got the
- CR SAMUEL-KING: Oh, it was on page 135 of our papers, page 21 of the report.
So there are 61.54% of the community strongly oppose
the project.
So it's simply highlighting it's a fact that our community
- it's page 135 of our papers.
No, so "that Council highlights our community's
strong objections to the project".
CR EVANS: And with the indulgence of the Mayor, if it can be highlighted
what page it is.
CR SAMUEL-KING: Yes, as per page 21 of the report.
CR STITFOLD: Sorry, Councillors, can you turn the microphones off
if you're not speaking?
We're getting some feedback.
Thank you.
CR SAMUEL-KING: As per page 21 of the report.
CR STITFOLD: Page 21 of the report.
Councillor Martin, are you accepting this?
CR MARTIN: Well, I just want to confirm that when we're talking
about the project, this question was regarding the precinct vision.
So I'm happy
- CR SAMUEL-KING: That's true, yes, so objection
to the SRL Draft Precinct Vision for Cheltenham.
CR STITFOLD: The words will be up shortly.
Councillor Evans, are you happy to accept?
CR EVANS: I'm happy with that.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin?
CR CASTELLI: May I say something as well?
CR STITFOLD: One moment.
CR CASTELLI: I've got another
- foreshadow another motion, if I could.
CR STITFOLD: You're foreshadowing a motion, okay.
But one moment, thank you.
CR EVANS: I'm happy with that.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Samuel-King, did you wish to debate?
Councillor Castelli, I understand you're foreshadowing
a motion.
Yes, did you have a question for the officers?
CR CASTELLI: No, just to say I've just looked at that
- sorry, I've just looked at that
- CR STITFOLD: Councillor Samuel-King, could you sit down
for a moment while Councillor Castelli clarifies?
CR CASTELLI: I will clarify.
Now, what's
- I'm sorry, what's there is not in support of this,
is that what it's stating, it's not in support of this at all?
CR STITFOLD: It's not in support of the draft precinct vision in line
with the community consultation.
CR CASTELLI: Okay, because I have an amendment to that
as well if it's
- CR STITFOLD: One moment, Councillor Castelli.
CR EVANS: The mover is happy to hear what Councillor Castelli wants
to amend, but I'm happy with that at the moment, thank you.
I'm happy to hear.
CR CASTELLI: Happy to hear?
Okay, so I'll read
- CR EVANS: If it's an inclusion.
If it's an inclusion.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Castelli, are you wishing to incorporate changes
into this motion?
CR CASTELLI: Yes, I do.
CR STITFOLD: Could you please give the words?
CR CASTELLI: Yes, okay, so "the State Government needs
to give the Bayside City Council a clear program outlining the planning
responsibility and a detailed timeline for the structure plan urgently".
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans, are you willing to accept that?
CR EVANS: Let me just read it, thank you.
Yes, I'm happy with that, thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin?
Thank you.
We'll now go to Councillor Samuel-King.
CR SAMUEL-KING: Firstly, I want to thank the speakers.
I share their concerns regarding the economics of this project,
or at least some of them.
There are some troubling features of the project
and yet we are not the decision maker in this regard.
I also hear our community's very strong objections
to the SRL Draft Precinct Plan and yet again, for better or worse,
we are not the decision makers in this regard.
One could say there's quite a large bit of power creep from the State Government
when the State Government at this point in time seems to be wanting to take
over power and this could be considered one part
of that and yet often cost shifting from state to local government.
However, that is not what we can decide on here tonight.
We can certainly point out, and I think it's beholden upon us to point
out, our community's objection to the draft precinct plan
and that's what we do in point 3.
We also do what we can to make concrete and positive steps to making our community
and this place better no matter what happens in this space
and particularly something like the purchase of the Laminex site
and the provision of additional open space that that could provide,
now we're talking, and that's the kind of thing that we may be able to do
to make this area a great success.
I'm particularly interested in Bayside working
with the Highett Progress Association and also the Pennydale Residents Action
Group as well as the SRL to see an outcome that
will actually be good for our community.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Castelli?
CR CASTELLI: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Yes, I'd like to thank all the speakers and also I'd like to say something
with the HBA.
It is great that you are speaking to the management of the SRL.
However, I understand the point that Highett needs
a complete overhaul, yes, I do, but if we're looking at this project,
it's vague.
I can't see anything in it, okay?
So even the officers have concerns and if you read that on page 110,
they've also got concerns.
There are a few points on there.
If anyone would like to read them, they're on page 110.
Now, also let me get this straight here.
So we're going to dwell
- and as Councillor Samuel-King has mentioned, people first and it seems
like the majority of them oppose this project and it
is my ward and I want to do my best to at least appease our residents.
So we'll go into potential challenges and concern here.
There are 61% of them who are opposed, which is a pretty huge amount.
So we're looking at increased apartment buildings.
What is that going to look like bottom line at the end?
What kind of apartment buildings will it be?
How many storeys?
I don't know.
This is going to be happening in Highett, Cheltenham and Pennydale.
They are the designated medium change areas for development.
So the other is
- sorry, I've just got to get this online.
So the designation could potentially lead to an influx of apartment buildings, okay,
in these suburbs.
While increased housing density can provide more housing options,
but it's vague to me what that's going to look like at this moment.
So I'm not going to support a submission into this.
It may also impact the existing character of the neighbourhood.
Then we're looking at construction disruptions also,
including the anchor station at Sir William Fry Reserve.
And as Councillor Evans mentioned, you know, if this goes up,
we don't know what the open space is going to look like, if we're going
to have any open space at all.
All that information is vague.
So that's why I've urgently asked for that information (bell rings) and
for Council to be part of that structure planning at least.
So there will be noise, traffic, diversions and things like this
will happen.
But the main thing, as Councillor Samuel-King has mentioned,
it's people, you know, and they don't know what it's going
to look like because there's nothing out there for them to know about
and we don't know about.
So I understand HBA when they mentioned that Highett needs
an overall, yes, absolutely (bell rings).
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Councillor Castelli.
Councillor del Porto.
CR DEL PORTO: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
I also think that the
- if you look at the report, the conclusion from the report is not just
to say that we endorse the officers' submission, which I understand that's
what was proposed in the first place, but it's more like the motion that
is being drafted tonight.
If you look at the report on page 109, it makes for grim reading really.
Council has had minimum opportunity to be able to provide input
into the SRLA's technical and background reports.
Council is seeking clarification on its responsibilities
and involvement in the precinct planning process.
There is no process or detailed timelines indicative of Council's involvement
regarding the structure plan.
And we've had minimal input into any technical analysis being
undertaken in preparation for the precinct plans.
And on top of that, we're not sure how we're going
to replace the Sir William Fry Reserve, which I understand is next door,
for open space.
So my view is that I support this motion that we have before us,
but I would politely ask the mover and seconder to actually put point 4
on the top because we are responding to the Suburban Rail Loop Draft Precinct
Vision for Cheltenham.
I agree with all those points, but we should really first of
all let them know that we are just not happy
with the fact we have no planning responsibility, we have no structure plan
and you could actually add and there is no explanation
of the open space requirements on point 4.
You could add that if you wanted to.
If you look at page 110, the density and height will certainly increase
and it's not supported by Council officers, not supported
by us either, not supported by residents from the sounds of it.
The structure plan precinct needs to ensure the retention
of existing vegetation.
Again, you know, it's all up in the air.
And if you look
- and the one that I'm very concerned about is the second-last dot point,
where you're looking at the community infrastructure that
will be required by Council to build and pay for schools, day care,
kinder and libraries.
The library maybe
- with just a bit of foresight we already have the library
lined up in the CSIRO site, but all the others it's going
to cost this Council a lot of money to cater for the additional population.
So these are points that we're just
- I don't think I'm happy with the
- I support the open space requirements or purchase of open space
of the Laminex site, I have no issue with that,
but I am proposing that point 4 be made point 1.
We are requesting Bayside be included in outlining the planning responsibility,
the structure plan and also the point 3 should be up there
as well.
By all means on top of that you say, well, you're also looking for the rail loop
to buy the Laminex site.
So I would actually ask Councillor Evans if he's of a mind
to actually rotate the numbers so that 3 and 4 get up on top, with no disrespect
to your motion, but we are responding not so much
- the question wasn't are we looking for more open space.
The question was what do you think about this vision, which from the sounds
of it is not much of a vision at all.
We think it's a pretty horrible vision.
So my view is that 3 and 4 should be
- are the relevant ones.
By all means you can ask for more open space to be provided
as well.
So that's my point of view.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans, would you be happy to reorder the motion?
CR EVANS: Madam Mayor, with the indulgence of Council,
I think there's a couple more things that are coming
out of this which I do support and maybe include within the
- I'm happy for 4 to go to 1 and then 1, 2 and 3 go, but I also would
like included and I hear
- CR DEL PORTO: Open space.
CR EVANS: I hear community's concerns about heights and open space.
So again, maybe that can be included
- if 4 goes to 1 and with that that we show the SRL that the Council is concerned
about the heights that are provided within the structure plan.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin?
CR EVANS: Let's do it point by point.
CR STITFOLD: Can I request an officer to assist with the motion?
Thank you, Mr Cripps.
CR SAMUEL-KING: Madam Mayor, may I ask
- given that point 3 was mine, may I ask a question of the mover?
CR STITFOLD: Yes.
CR SAMUEL-KING: It's now point 4.
CR STITFOLD: We're just reordering.
So one moment.
If we can just hold on until we see what it's actually going
to look like.
CR EVANS: Madam Mayor, I'm the mover.
I'm not concerned about the order.
Let's put 1 at 1.
But I am concerned about the Council and the community's concerns
about heights that are provided within the structure plan.
It's one of the things coming out of it.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you.
We'll wait until we have the words up and then I'll have you look at those,
please, and the seconder, Councillor Martin, and then we'll go
to you, Councillor Samuel-King.
Councillor Evans, if you could just review.
CR EVANS: That's better, thank you.
The mover is happy with that.
CR STITFOLD: The seconder, Councillor Martin, are you happy
with that?
Councillor Samuel-King, you had a question?
CR SAMUEL-KING: It was just "and the lack of open spaces there",
so it's been covered.
CR STITFOLD: Was there anybody
- Councillor El Mouallem, did you wish to speak?
CR EL MOUALLEM: Yes, I'll just say a few words.
I'm going to dare to be different.
If you recall back in October 21 we've looked
into the CSIRO site and what's happening there and
in this chamber I actually objected to the seven levels going up
on the CSIRO site and tonight I'm hearing about 20 levels coming up to Bayside.
I'm going to be honest, I am actually not ready for 20 levels
in Bayside.
I heard Ms Steele earlier talking about the economics of the project
and I actually support
- I personally believe we'll be much better as a state spending our taxes
on probably different projects
- you know, extension of the train line to Black Rock and Beauie.
What about the train line to the airport?
In my opinion, these projects are more of a priority than this one.
It actually scares me, it really scares me that we are putting or
supporting a motion like this.
We should, in my opinion, be saying we listen to the community
and there are 66.94% objecting to it and we listen to the community,
we're not going to support it, but in case the State Government are going
to proceed and do what they want, these are the points we would
like them to consider, which is buying of open space and doing this
and doing that.
So rather than saying we support it and do this, we say in my opinion,
we're not supporting it, community is not ready for it and if it
is still to proceed, these are the conditions we'd like
to have.
Madam Mayor, you know, there is the issue of the density.
We don't really know
- I heard we don't have any details on the heights.
We don't know what the Planning Minister is going to approve.
I heard 20 levels.
It might be more, it might be less in certain areas.
But also there is contamination.
I understand there's a bit of contamination
- not a bit, major contamination from the gasworks
on the Sir William Fry Reserve.
What are we doing there, how are we going to manage it?
Are our residents going to be impacted?
Now, I understand Mr Hockley, from the Highett Progress Association,
and I respect his opinion and he's supporting it,
but I don't believe that the majority of the community outside the association
is probably ready to see this much intensification
of the area in Bayside.
I am not going to support it tonight and, yes, good luck to the residents in Highett
and Cheltenham and I hope they get what they want.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans, did you wish to close?
CR EVANS: Oh, no, thanks, Madam Mayor.
I think we've had a little bit of a go at it and again, I'm happy with the way
in which that's outlined at the moment.
The main concern of mine is
- I hear what everybody is saying and I don't know
whether I can agree or disagree with them.
They may be right about whether it should go or shouldn't go ahead
My concern is again, acting for the community that I represent,
is to try to get the best possible solution
that I can for the community that I represent,
whether it goes ahead or whether it doesn't go ahead,
and I think the purchase of the Laminex, whether it be a purchase or we may be able
to get a short-term lease or a long-term lease to shift the cyclone mesh wire over
and get a lot of green space along Jack Road.
I think that's an important thing for our community,
given that Sir William Fry Reserve is going to be taken.
So again, I just absolutely don't know whether it will go ahead or
whether it doesn't.
I'm assuming it is and I want the best possible answer that
we possibly can get for the community that I represent.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillors, all those in favour
- Councillors Castelli, del Porto, Evans, Martin, Samuel-King, and Stitfold.
Those against, Councillor El Mouallem.
Carried.
- Councillor Samuel-King, I understand you have a conflict
of interest.
CR SAMUEL-KING: So it's 10.3, so Planning Scheme Amendment C199bays.
My partner is the strategic consultant for the Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve.
I've filled in the red form and will be leaving the meeting.
CR STITFOLD: And that's a general conflict of interest?
CR SAMUEL-KING: General.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you.
Councillor Samuel-King, I suggest you stay out for item 10.4 as well,
which you also have a conflict of interest.
CR SAMUEL-KING : If someone can call me back in
after 10.4.
CR STITFOLD: Yes, good.
Can you just explain your conflict of interest?
CR SAMUEL-KING: As far as 10.4, the Dendy Beach Visitor Management Plan,
I own a property across the road from Green Point and Green Point
is included in this plan.
CR STITFOLD: And that would be a general conflict of interest?
Thank you.
CR SAMUEL-KING: That's a general.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you.
Councillors, there were no requests to be heard received.
Councillor El Mouallem?
CR EL MOUALLEM: Yes, Madam Mayor, I'm proposing an alternate to the motion
and I'd like to read it.
It's point 3 and that is "Council abandons Amendment C199bays Part
2, as it relates to the Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve".
CR DEL PORTO: I'll second the motion.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Councillor del Porto.
Councillor El Mouallem?
CR EL MOUALLEM: Thank you, Councillor del Porto.
Madam Mayor, here in front of me is the plan from the Crown
and basically what we're trying here, what we are proposing to rezone is part
of land that was permanently reserved by the Crown grant
and permanently reserved as a public park.
So what we're trying to do here
- this plan, which shows the public park, includes both the Yalukit Willam Nature
Reserve and also the Elsternwick Park South
as one parcel of land for the use of the community for a public park
and we are the committee of management and our job to manage, improve, maintain
and control the reserve for the purpose for which it is reserved, that
is, public park and recreation.
I go onto our Planning Scheme, Bayside Planning Scheme, section 36.02,
and that's public park and recreation and under the purpose of that
under the Bayside Planning Scheme, to recognise areas for public recreation
and open space, to protect and conserve areas
of significance where appropriate, and to provide
for commercial uses where appropriate.
Now, I bring to your attention 36.03, which is a purpose
for the public conservation and resource which we are planning
to rezone that land to and under the purpose, it is to protect
and conserve the natural environment and natural process and
to provide facilities which will assist in public education and then
to provide for appropriate resource-based uses.
So if you're following from what I read on 36.02 in Bayside Planning Scheme,
you notice that under the purpose to recognise the area
for public recreation and open space completely drops off.
If we rezone that land, the purpose for the area
for public recreation would drop off.
But on the other hand, under the current zone, there
is absolutely nothing stopping us from doing conservation work
and my understanding is that's currently what we are doing.
From the last presentation from the officers, I understand that there
is going to be an island in the south end and that island now is actually bigger,
nearly one hectare of land as a conservation island where, you know,
the birds and the mammals and whatever, they can do whatever they want to do,
rather than basically changing the whole rezone.
My understanding also if we change the rezone
and we've got the Gateway Building, which we received some grants
from the federal for
- my understanding we're not going to have the flexibility
to build what we're supposed to build.
We might end up having a cafe component
in the Gateway Building, we might not.
But my understanding is the current zone would allow or gives
us the flexibility, more flexibility than what we are
proposing in the conservation.
I am all in support.
I've heard from the community in regard to the grassy woodland.
I am all in support to rezoning that, but as someone who
at the elections I stood up for enhancing and maintaining open space, I've heard
from lots of people in the community and they have some serious concerns
about changing the zone.
Some of them even flagged that we actually changed the name
from Elsternwick Park Nature Reserve to Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve I
heard without consultation.
I'm not sure about this.
So people are now concerned that that might be step 1
and step 2 we might actually concentrate more on the mammals and the animals
and the fauna and flora and actually forget
about why this land was reserved, which was for public park.
For that reason, I'm moving this amendment to abandon part 2 that relates
to the Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Councillor El Mouallem.
Councillor del Porto.
CR DEL PORTO: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
I support everything that's been said by Councillor El Mouallem.
The other issue that I think you also mentioned or alluded to was the issue
of the Gateway Building.
We will eventually build a Gateway Building which
will be quite an incredible design that we've all seen and my view is that we want
to make sure that we are not interfering with some of the functions
of the Gateway Building.
One of them that has the support of the Federal Government is
to actually use it as an educational site.
So the last thing I want to do is worry about some people saying, "Well, look,
if you change the zoning to a public conservation resource zone,
you might have to argue your case to see whether you can actually use it
as an educational site."
I wouldn't want to worry about that.
The other thing is that we're also thinking
about a small cafe as well to provide an extra service to people
and again, that might be an issue if the rezoning goes ahead.
So I'm very happy to support the Highett Grassy Woodland
to be rezoned, but I think for the issues that Councillor El Mouallem
raised to do with usage of the space and also usage of the building,
future building, I think it's probably safer
to actually abandon this part out of the Planning Scheme amendment so
that we don't have any potential problem in the future with VCAT
and Supreme Court applications and that sort of thing.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans?
CR EVANS: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Yes, I support too the rezoning of the Highett Grassy Woodlands,
which has been fought for for a long, long, long time
and has got a great history behind it all.
I'm a bit of a simple soul and I don't understand the complexities
of all the land-related zones, although I did have a lot to do with them
in my architecture, I think, but I'm a simple soul
of wanting just an interactive park where people can just walk through
and see the beauty of a nature reserve.
It's been transformed from a golf course to a nature reserve and I think that part
and parcel of this is that people can walk through it and appreciate it and be part
of it and enjoy it and again, I think if it's a safer bet
to abandon the amendment where people can do that, then I'd be supporting that.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: There are no other Councillors wishing to speak.
All those in favour of the motion
- sorry, and I would like to offer Councillor El Mouallem
the ability to close.
CR EL MOUALLEM: I'll just say thanks to the submitters
and I noticed that we do have one petition with 102 signatures
against that proposed rezone, so I'm just telling them I've heard them,
I listened to their concerns and I hope this change goes
through tonight.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you.
I even wrote myself a note to remember for you to close.
All those in favour
- Councillors Castelli, del Porto, Evans, Martin, El Mouallem, and Stitfold.
Carried.
There were none against.
10.4, Dendy Beach Visitor Management Plan.
I understand you have a conflict of interest.
CR CASTELLI: I do, Madam Mayor, yes.
I've got a conflict and it's Dendy Beach Management Plan
and I can't remember, is it general
- it's a general, yes.
And it's due to my partner, he has a bathing box 43.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you.
Could you leave the chamber, please?
CR CASTELLI: Yes, of course.
CR STITFOLD: Councillors, you will be aware
of a revised attachment circulated and published on Council's website
in relation to this report.
There is also an amended officers'
recommendation.
I will read the changes, "that Council endorses the draft Dendy
Beach Visitor Management Plan (VMP) for the purpose of community consultation,
subject to the following editorial changes : addition of Section 3.2
- Foreshore Anchors and Attractions (page 16), addition
of Section 3.3, subsection 3.3.2
- Improved Connectivity to Green Point (page 18), Revision
of Section 4.3
- Tourism Merchandise, in particular list of proposed items (page 28),
Revision of Section 10
- Environmental Sustainability (page 62).
"There were no requests to be heard received.
Do I have a mover?
Councillor El Mouallem?
CR EL MOUALLEM: I'm happy to move.
CR DEL PORTO: I'll second.
CR STITFOLD: And seconded by Councillor del Porto.
Councillor El Mouallem?
CR EL MOUALLEM: Yes, thank you, Madam Mayor, and thanks to officers
for the amended recommendation.
Madam Mayor, I can say hands down that's probably in the top three best
things that happened to me in this Council.
The Dendy Beach Visitor Management Plan, it's something I've heard nearly
on a daily basis from the community of the impact of the tourist and the buses
on their daily life and here we are three years in
and we managed to get a Visitor Management Plan finally
in front of us.
What I see here is an improvement to the way the visitors get
to the Dendy Beach.
It's also an improvement to the residents that live
around the Dendy Beach.
It's an improvement to the leaseholders of the Dendy Beach boxes.
But what's more importantly, it is dealing with the whole precinct rather than
just Dendy Beach.
So this management plan here looks into the precinct from the Brighton Baths
down to the Green Point and how we're going
to move tourists or move the traffic away from the residential streets while
providing the tourists with the best experience in Bayside
and specifically Brighton and Dendy ward can offer.
That is the Brighton Baths where they can go and swim in the bay or
the Dendy Beach boxes, where they can go and have a look
at the beautiful boxes there, enjoy the natural environment or go
towards Green Point and they would have a magnificent outlook
towards the boxes and the background where the city is, the skyline.
So if you drill into it, you see that it is very, very comprehensive.
Nevertheless, what we're doing is we're putting it out to the community
and asking them if there's anything that we need to fine tune.
What I've seen here is it's touching on the maintenance of the picnic areas
in Green Point, for example.
It's touching on at the Green Point an outlook area or
an observation area where people can
- if they are in a rush and they don't want to walk the precinct,
the bus can stop them, they can take some photos, have a look
at the precinct and then move on.
So it is really streamlining what's happened.
The ad hoc stuff that's been happening on the beach, it's getting streamlined.
I know it's probably not perfect.
I know it's not everyone's cup of tea because some people don't want any
tourists whatsoever in there, but the reality is we
- I'm hearing numbers about nearly a million tourists coming
into that precinct, so that's not going to stop and now we are out of COVID,
we're going to see more and more of it.
So it is about time we got something like this happening
and I am really looking forward to seeing what the community is going
to say and a big thank you to the officers that worked on it.
They have done an amazing job and, as I said earlier, it's one
of the best things that happened in this Council and I appreciate
all the good work that went into it.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Councillor El Mouallem.
Councillor del Porto.
CR DEL PORTO: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Look, I'm very happy to support the motion and, in particular, the changes
on section 4.3, the tourism merchandising point,
which I've been banging on about for a little while.
I go to page 26 of the actual report, the management plan, and you're looking
at an idea that would commit us to environmental stewardship,
ensuring that all merchandise is environmentally friendly
and sustainable and locally made.
And my view is that we have a great message to sell.
People love the bathing boxes.
A million tourists coming here and I am reasonably confident that
a significant number of the million tourists will end
up purchasing something with a bathing box on it,
whether it's whatever the merchandising item we decide upon.
You know, I'm not a business man, I'm a teacher, but I would think that caps
and tops might be the way to go, maybe a windcheater or something.
If we could actually
- once this comes back from consultation, if we can actually continue to talk
to the business that's taking over the restaurant, we might be able
to come up with a mutually agreeable sort of formula and my view
is that Council could actually increase its takings quite significantly
on the foreshore in addition to the parking permits that
we had for non-residents and it's something that
- I think it's something tourists really want as well.
I've taken tourists there and, you know, right now there's nothing to do
because the toilets are not really that good, you can't buy an ice cream.
I mean, there's nothing there.
But when the thing is finished finally, I think people will come in there,
have a look, have a photo, but also come back with a memento
they can take with them back to wherever they come from.
So my view is that we should really push that in the next few months and hopefully
by the end of the year we'll have an actual program lined up.
Okay, thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you, Councillor del Porto.
Councillor Evans.
CR EVANS: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Madam Mayor, yes, one of the real pleasing things of this report
is the way in which it's getting the buses moving now,
which has been a real problem for a long, long time, Councillor El Mouallem knew
about it and I knew about it, but the interim and then the final places
of where the buses go certainly is a really good detailed plan.
As most people have said, the bathing boxes are iconic
around the world.
You see Sydney Harbour Bridge, you see the Opera House
and you see the bathing boxes wherever you go around the world.
So it is a huge tourist attraction and bussing is an important part
of getting visitors there and also getting them to a point
in Green Point where they can then walk back
and experience the trail from Green Point back and again,
I think this is an excellent way.
It's been a problem for a long, long time about the tourist buses.
Some of the larger ones are probably the bigger problems,
but even the mini ones have been a problem and there now is a detailed plan of how
to move them and where they can stop and where they finish in an interim
and in a final place.
So again, I welcome that.
It's something that should be coming for a long, long time and is now
in fruition, so hats off to the officers for doing that.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor El Mouallem, did you wish to close?
CR EL MOUALLEM: Yes.
I just said all the good things earlier, but maybe a couple
of observations just to finish.
What I would really like to see maybe when it comes back to us
if we can expand from the Brighton Baths to include the Royal Brighton Yacht Club
and the very world famous dog park, the dog beach down there,
if we can somehow creep into that area just
to make sure it's included.
But also we've heard a lot about the buses.
I noticed, you know, that lots of also tourists catch the train.
They come to Middle Brighton or the Brighton Beach
station and I'm not sure if it is covered in this Visitor Management Plan,
but I would like to see something where like a direction map or directions
from the stations toward the precinct, the beach boxes precinct,
and if it's possible to talk to our friends at the Department
of Transport and see if we can signalise or provide some
pedestrian crossings on Beach Road because unfortunately lots of people
- you know, there's lots of near misses in that stretch and, you know,
it would be great if we can make it safer for people catching the train
to actually cross the road and get to there.
So saying that, I'm really looking forward to seeing what the community is going
to say.
I hope that we do approach not only the Bathing Box Association,
but also the individual owners of the beach boxes because they are not
all part of the association, but also approach the neighbouring
residents and the businesses in the area
for comments.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: All those in favour
- Councillors del Porto, Evans, Martin, El Mouallem, and Stitfold.
Carried.
There are none against.
Could we have Councillors Samuel-King and Castelli brought back to the chamber,
thank you.
Item 10.5, we have the review of Christmas Decoration Program 2023
- Recommendations for future implementation.
CR DEL PORTO: I move that.
CR STITFOLD: There were no requests to be heard and thank you,
Councillor del Porto.
Do I have a seconder?
Councillor Castelli.
CR DEL PORTO: Madam Mayor, thank you very much for that.
I think
- maybe I'm talking out of turn, but I think everybody is going
to support this motion.
It's a feel-good motion.
Our little shopping centres really get something out of Christmas decs
and the proposition, which is to concentrate
on the major activity centres but not forget Seaview Village
and Hawthorn Road I think are the way to go.
I know that the ones in my ward in Hawthorn Road and in Church Street
as well, but the Hawthorn Road one is much appreciated.
Residents there feel a little bit cut off by the huge wide highway that we have.
It is an important shopping centre.
It's the only fixed tram line that we have and it's a terminus as well.
So it's quite a busy shopping centre and I know for a fact that I've spoken
to residents and shopkeepers there and I've spoken to Mr Cripps about it
as well.
They really appreciate the Christmas decs there, and we've been approached a couple
of times to put some lights, Jewish lights as well at the same time, festival
of lights, because there's quite a significant number
of Jewish people living in Brighton East and it's something that I'm hoping
to maybe do this year as well.
Look, I think it's wonderful.
Everyone loves Christmas and it's a wonderful thing.
The one in Church Street I know is
- Councillor El Mouallem is part of Church Street.
It was a very successful location, the one opened up, Councillor Stitfold,
Madam Mayor.
To relocate it there by St Andrew's Church was actually
Councillor El Mouallem's idea to actually approach St Andrew's Church.
I think that's an ideal spot and I think it's important that everyone
feels included and so this, I think, proposes to do just that.
I know that Councillor Evans will talk about Pennydale as well if he wants to.
But I think it's a very good motion.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Castelli?
CR CASTELLI: Yes, thank you.
I concur with Councillor del Porto with Christmas.
I love Christmas.
I love the decorations.
So these are some of the great points I think that
we should say.
Christmas decorations are a great way to promote the festive season
and encourage people to spend time in our activity centres.
From looking at the fantastic numbers with our social media results,
the Bayside community also love Christmas.
Who doesn't?
Council's decision to focus decorations in the seven bigger
activity centres is appropriate as we can make them really attractive
and get that wow factor into them.
The voucher system can help businesses in the smaller shopping centres
decorate their windows, which add to the Christmas cheer.
In this way, no-one misses out.
Given our limited budget, this is a good solution.
So my end to this, Bayside Christmas program truly
exemplifies the spirit of unity, creativity and celebration.
Looking forward to more magical moments in the years
to come.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans?
CR EVANS: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Madam Mayor, yes, representation down at Black Rock in the village was
terrific last year.
The traders extended their stalls out onto the footpath
and we had those two lanky people walking around the village, which was sensational
for all the young kids
- trying to peak underneath their dresses to see how tall they were,
which was quite funny.
But also the thing in Pennydale where two trees were stolen
is really a sad event last year.
Again, I've spoken to the Pennydale President and again,
the $50 voucher for shops I think will be a really good thing that people
in the shopping centre there will take up and I hope they take up
in other shopping centres.
I think it's a really good initiative.
I'm inquisitive as to how it goes, but again,
I think it's a really good thing to promote and certainly it
will be promoted in both Black Rock and Pennydale.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin.
CR MARTIN: Yes, look, absolutely rapt to see that the Sea View shops
installation is going to remain and that was very successful
and I think it really brought a lot of vibrancy
to that particular small neighbourhood activity centre and I really do think
that, you know, more innovation is in the report
by offering the voucher system.
But I do commend the officers for including a provision for businesses,
up to four businesses, I think it's per area,
that's not getting any decorations to express interest
to have their actual shop windows dressed professionally.
What a fantastic thing, Madam Mayor, that, you know, businesses that may not,
you know, be as festive as we'd like them because
they may not be in the retail space, they may be in sort of different kind
of spaces but, you know, they can actually express interest
and say, "Look, if you want to use my shop window, go right ahead"
and then a professional Christmas decorator will come in
and turn that shop window into something absolutely brilliant I'm
assured by our officers.
I think, you know, anyone taking that up, the offer, I'm pretty sure you're going
to get an absolutely fantastic window for this first effort.
I've certainly got my little areas down my way already considering
in that Key Street precinct, the corner cafe there on the corner
of Beach Road and Key Street, down at Weatherall Road there's
a fantastic site, and there's also a site on the corner of Charman
and Balcombe Road.
So that's great.
Inside the windows, safe, lit up at night and I think that's the next step for this
after trying and trying, get the shopkeepers
to be professionally dressed up the ones that may not feel that $50
is going to do it for them.
Thank you, Madam Mayor.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Samuel-King.
CR SAMUEL-KING : Just simply echoing my fellow Councillors
I love Christmas.
I love Christmas decorations.
I do hope they're chosen sustainably.
I was fortunate enough to be visiting family
and see a different council, a local council, do a white Christmas,
just beautiful.
We can't do the same, but we can have fun and I think this policy
and program enables that.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor El Mouallem.
CR EL MOUALLEM: Yes, just clarification, Madam Mayor,
the SNACs or the Seaview Village specifically in Hawthorn Road,
they will continue to have the decorations and are we going
to also provide the $50 Christmas voucher to the traders in these shopping areas?
MR MATTHEW CRIPPS: Through you, Madam Mayor, the voucher approach
is proposed to be offered to those centres which would not be
recipients of the investment of decorations by Council, so no.
CR EL MOUALLEM: Oh, thank you.
I just wanted to clarify this.
Yes, I do support the officers on this one.
I understand that they need to get more traction for the dollar
and I've seen that in Dendy, especially down in Dendy Village in Hampton Street,
when I was the Mayor we did put some decorations,
but unfortunately it didn't get the traction
and when we've had a small community event , not many people attended, to be honest.
It was myself and probably a couple of families.
On the other hand, you go to Black Rock and just like the flag,
I'm glad Councillor Evans is happy with Black Rock because in my opinion,
it gets the lion's share of all the expenditure
on these Christmas decorations, especially with the roundabout there
and everything else.
So I'm glad you enjoy that.
For a small activity centre I reckon it's punching above its weight.
So I hope we can look into how much money we're generating,
you know, from the rates of these shopping centres and try
to be more equitable this way.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: It's great to see the additional emphasis on recycled
and reused decorations because we do need to bear in mind that more than or
around 50% of additional waste is actually created
during the festive season, so it's good to think about a smaller footprint.
Councillor del Porto, would you like to close?
CR DEL PORTO: Madam Mayor, that's been quite a blow,
your last statement.
CR STITFOLD: I had to provide an alternative view.
CR DEL PORTO: I see.
Alright.
I don't have anything further.
I'm looking forward to you voting for it.
CR STITFOLD: All those in favour
- Councillors Castelli, del Porto, Evans, Martin, Samuel-King, El Mouallem,
and Stitfold.
Carried.
There was none against.
We move on to 10.6, Proposal for Council to rejoin the Municipal Association
of Victoria.
Requests to be heard, there was one request to speak received
for this item.
Could the speaker, Mr Geoff Leigh, please approach the speaker's table?
MR GEOFF LEIGH: This is a by-product of me looking into the SRL.
That's why I'm here to object to you wasting at least $60,000 of money
to a bunch of
- that do nothing, which is the MAV.
If you want to have some training programs, do.
But let me quote you why, and this is from the MAV itself.
The MAV said it wasn't consulted on the newly gazetted changes
which were aimed to fast-track significant development.
Under the reforms, developments can be considered significant
in various ways, including how much they cost, where they are being delivered
in partnership with the state or if deemed significantly by the Minister.
- collectively the MAV and Council the way they have sometimes blocked people
for a planning permit because the Council officer didn't
like the colour of a garage door or whatever, right?
The MAV did not know about this.
What this means is, just so you know
- you probably don't realise this, but the SRL's estimation for the future
of Cheltenham is from 20,000 people to 50.
Now, that's 20-storey buildings.
So Councillor Martin said it doesn't affect us.
Well, if you have a look, go to Southland, it comes across into Bayside up there too.
They can deem what they want and the MAV, 60,000 bucks.
CR MARTIN: Madam Chair, point of order.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you.
If you can just hold it a minute, Mr Leigh.
Councillor Martin wanted to make a point?
CR MARTIN: The speaker just said that Councillor Martin said it didn't
affect us.
I didn't say anything of the case.
I want him to withdraw.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin, can you sit down while we consider?
Thank you, Mr Leigh, if you could keep your comments relevant
to the item.
MR GEOFF LEIGH: Sure, it is.
As far as I'm concerned, what's happening with this project now,
it doesn't matter whether
- CR STITFOLD: Excuse me, sir, one moment.
I'd just like for the other Councillors to listen to the speaker, please.
MR GEOFF LEIGH: Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Continue.
MR GEOFF LEIGH: My point in all of this is the Minister can decide outside
of where the SRL is further down the road to decide that's an area where
he wants to include, let's say, three
- or four-storey buildings at Balcombe Road and Charman Road.
You won't be able to stop him.
Now, this is the most
- leaving aside your normal things that you have,
planning was the most significant thing that you had an involvement in
and your organisation you pay 60,000 bucks a year failed you
and that's why you shouldn't pay them a dime.
Give the money to charity.
CR STITFOLD: Were there any questions for the speaker?
No.
Thank you, Mr Leigh.
You can return.
Councillor del Porto, you wish to
- CR DEL PORTO: Yes, I'd like to move a motion that Council continue
to be outside of the MAV, or wording along those lines,
so that Council not join
- I didn't want to use a negative, Madam Mayor, that Council continue
to choose to be outside the MAV.
CR STITFOLD: The suggested wording is keep the status quo.
CR DEL PORTO: Wonderfully put.
CR CASTELLI: I'll second that.
CR STITFOLD: Okay, seconded by Councillor Castelli.
CR DEL PORTO: Madam Mayor, look, we've talked about this a few times
and a couple of points.
Just the financial one, I know Councillors are swayed
by the financial one.
I've added up the money, I'm not good at math, it's $106,000
it's costing us this year, but keep in mind that 35,000 of that is inflated
by the fact that we have electoral costs.
So in the next three years, if you take that away from $106,000,
you end up with about $71,000, which is not that far off from the 55,000
plus I think there's a bit more as well that we usually pay as well.
Madam Mayor, my view is that the reason why Council opted
out a few years ago was because metro councils are not represented
adequately on the MAV.
We used to have a double boat, some metro councils.
Now it's a single boat.
Let me go through just some basic mathematics.
There are 78 councils in Victoria.
33 are metro councils and 45 are country shires.
So that gives you an idea that if the country shires don't want
to vote for something, they don't have to vote for it and the MAV motions
will never see the light of day if it's a metro only motion.
On top of that, the board is made up of 10 members.
Those members are five from the country, five from the city.
The President is the 11th member.
He's a country shire Councillor.
Therefore, the board itself will always have a six-five majority,
okay?
Now, metro councils are routinely I think ignored at the MAV, but not only that,
importantly, the MAV is completely and utterly ignored
by the State Government.
I had this speech prepared already.
You know, there's no doubt that the MAV is utterly ignored.
The MAV is useful for Council officers.
I have no issue with that.
I understand that, Madam Mayor.
But I'm talking about the MAV is there to represent councils in the political
field and I don't think they do a very good job for us and
in fact I don't think they do a good job for any other council either.
If you look at
- we had a meeting with the outgoing Mayor, Councillor El Mouallem, and a couple
of the MAV
- the new CEO I think it was and I think it was one
of the new board members who is now
- used to be former Mayor of Kingston and one of the things we asked
for was some sort of representation, metro representation, to be created
at the MAV and look, I don't want to verbal them because they're not here,
but I recall them saying they would create a standing committee
where the metro council would actually be able to be represented and all I see here
on page 274, the MAV has already implemented a process
where issues raised by the metro councils are developed
into a consolidated position paper and inform the basis of advocacy.
It is complete hogwash.
They haven't done anything.
They're not going to create a metro-based council because they have committed,
they don't want that.
So my view is that
- I've spoken to
- I used to speak to other Councillors from other metro councils and they had
- I won't talk about anyone in particular, but they all had the same view.
It's a bit of a charity thing because we're not getting much out of it,
but what the hell, you know, it's only 55,000, or whatever.
But I've spent years feeling frustrated about what they actually do for us and
they don't do much.
So if Council wants to join them, and I think maybe the view of this Council
is they want to go ahead, by all means go ahead, but you will
- yourself, you'll be the new delegate if this fails.
I don't know whether you're going to get that much out of it, you know?
I don't think that the delegate, a metro delegate, gets much out of it
because we just don't have the power and on top of that, even
if you do get a motion through, the State Government utterly ignores it,
utterly ignores it.
When I started Council 25 years ago, the MAV was actually listened to
by the old Jeff Kennett Premier.
It was actually
- there was a bit of respect there.
I don't think there's much respect for them now.
So my view is why should we join a political body that doesn't do anything
for us?
So that's why I'm saying go for the status quo.
There should be a motion somewhere.
Oh, you want to forget the status quo, the wording?
Okay, that's fine.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Castelli, did you wish to debate?
CR CASTELLI: Thank you, yes.
Yes, 25 years in Council is a lot.
It's what you call veteran.
But I'm inclined to
- and also thank you to the speaker as well.
I think he knows a bit about the MAV as well.
So I'm inclined to listen to someone who has been in it for 25 years
and it surprises me when Councillor del Porto mentions that the State Government
actually ignores us, which to me is
- you know, don't ignore us at all because we've had some really good motions
I remember going to one of those meetings, a huge conference.
We had a few motions and I think at the end of the day we didn't get
to hear them, but anyway.
I just want to remain status quo.
How long have we been out of it?
I think it's been a bit now and really I haven't missed it.
Like I mentioned, I'm inclined to listen to someone who's been in it for 25 years,
who has been a delegate as well as a Mayor delegate.
So I'm quite happy to oppose and to support this motion.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin?
CR MARTIN: Just a question.
When was Bayside created?
I thought it was 30 years ago.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin, could you stand to ask the question?
CR MARTIN: I thought Bayside was 30 years old, not 25.
CR CASTELLI: No, I'm talking about
- CR DEL PORTO: I wasn't on Council.
CR MARTIN: Oh, right.
OFFICER: Through you, Chair, it was December 1994,
which makes it just shy of 30.
CR STITFOLD: Did you
- Councillor Samuel-King.
CR SAMUEL-KING: I'll debate.
Great phrase "no man is an island"
and Bayside is also not an island.
There's a lot to be said for the networks that the MAV provide
from an officer perspective.
Also, if you just look at the economics, add them up, it makes sense for us to be
in there financially where it's actually costing us money, Madam Mayor,
not to be part of MAV.
Now, don't get me wrong.
I have very low expectations of what the MAV can do for Bayside
and Bayside residents from a political and advocacy perspective.
There are clearly a number of reasons for that.
Part of it is that city councils are clearly
not properly represented.
Perhaps MAV hasn't worked out how to get the State Government to listen
to them, but that's a very difficult thing for anyone to do.
The State Government is not renowned for listening particularly,
they're not renowned for listening or responding.
So I have very low expectations of what the MAV may achieve for us.
I have low expectations as to our influence
as a city council in the MAV.
But despite that, if we just look at the numbers,
I think it saves us money being part of the MAV and some
of the officer networks are worthwhile and for those very pragmatic reasons
and pragmatic reasons alone, Madam Mayor, I think it's worth us rejoining.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin.
CR MARTIN: Yes, thanks, Madam Mayor.
Look, I think we made our point.
I had an event down for the coastal councils round table
on Friday, a full-day event, and spoke to a lot of councils and a number
of them actually spoke to me a little bit about our little protest and wondering how
all that's going for us.
I think we've made our point.
I would foreshadow that if this one is defeated, we can make a statement
on returning to the MAV with some detailed kind of, you know,
reinforced points that are supported by many, many councils,
not just in the city but also in the country.
MAV, it's time for reform.
That's why no-one is listening to you.
They are not listening to the MAV because the MAV does not do the hard work
of reform and if you don't reform, you lose your community licence,
everyone stops listening to you, and you just start going
into these great big rooms.
I think the room I did when I went as the deputy delegate when Councillor
del Porto couldn't attend
- I think there was something like 84 motions.
I mean, the governance of this thing is just out of control.
There's no restraint, there's no order.
There's not even a sense that, you know, hundreds, millions
of people in the city can be properly structured into some sort
of organised group that can have their specific needs, such as planning,
such as the Suburban Rail Loop, such as the great Victorian housing build
and many other things that we are doing the consultation on,
but unfortunately the councils have to do it all by themselves
without any real support through the MAV because the MAV has just failed
to restructure, re-form, create new representative bodies.
They are all within our control of doing, but they don't get done and I absolutely
will not criticise the Government for not consulting this body
because it's not doing the hard work of reform.
It expects that a government or anyone else should just listen to them because.
Well, you've got to do more than that.
How can you just listen to a group like this and they be representative
of the entire state and then you go
- and they would attend these how do they make their policies, what
is their processes to get a decision, how do they present matters to the board.
It's chaotic, it's disorderly, it's old and it's ineffective.
However, as Councillor Samuel-King has eloquently described tonight,
we should re-enter the fray, in particular for our officers.
When I heard that the officers are losing opportunities to network and engage
with the sector, I thought to myself well, okay,
that's something that shouldn't happen and also the fact that, you know,
we've got an opportunity now as one of the few councils that's done
the hard work of dropping out
- it's not easy to get full support of doing something radical
like this in a conservative environment, so I think that's been a really good thing
(bell rings) and I think that they will listen to a well articulated letter
that steps out why we're coming back and what our desires are.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans.
CR EVANS: Oh, thank you, Madam Mayor.
Madam Mayor, I like the mover and seconder's enthusiasm about that.
However, the statistics of 106K versus 55K, it's about 51K ahead,
I think that just the number of the dollar amount is persuading me.
However, I won't support the officers'
recommendation without a number of items that will be added
to it should this motion that Councillor del Porto and seconded
by Councillor Castelli fails.
I certainly would want to put the
- if we are going to rejoin, if this fails and an amended recommendation gets up,
I'd want to know
- I'd want to put a letter to them telling them why we have left,
I would want to know what hasn't changed from what we said we wanted changed,
what we want changed and how long will it take and we put them on notice
for a year that we want these things changed.
I think we did leave, but we didn't sort of
- we didn't give them notice as to what our problem
- well, I don't think we did, what our problems were.
And again, should this fail, I'd support an alternative recommendation
encompassing those particular items that I've just said.
It's the money part that attracted me to rejoining, but also I do hear
from both the representative
- the speaker and Councillor del Porto about what the problems are,
but we should highlight them and put them on notice for another year, in my view.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor El Mouallem.
CR EL MOUALLEM: Madam Mayor, I've got a couple of questions
before I debate.
The 20,000 for election advertising and the 15,000
for candidate training, is that just specific for this year
because there is Council elections?
OFFICER: That's correct.
OFFICER: Through you, Chair, yes, that's correct.
CR EL MOUALLEM: And it's my understanding from previous discussions
and previous meetings and briefings that when people don't vote
in Council elections, we fine them and I understand we make some good money
out of these fines, which would be more than enough
to cover this multiple times, is that correct?
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, no, that's not correct.
So the escalation in election
- the cost to run the election will far exceed this year our ability
to recover any fines through the non-voting process,
so we'll be
- I think the estimate is that the election will
- the net cost of the election, once you take the fines into account,
is that it will be about $200,000 net cost over a period of years to Council
for (inaudible) the election.
So no, we can't use that money to offset the cost
of running the training sessions because it will already be in deficit.
CR EL MOUALLEM: Clarification on membership fee to join BESS and CASBE,
what are they?
What are these two organisations?
OFFICER: Through you, Madam Chair, BESS
and CASBE are environmental sustainability networks and also a framework that
we subscribe for our sustainability framework
at Council.
It's a group of Councillors that have developed it
and we work with that to get accreditation as well.
CR EL MOUALLEM: Okay, so we pay for that if we're not in the MAV?
OFFICER: It's part of the MAV, but it's got a special name rather than
the MAV.
CR EL MOUALLEM: And is it mandatory for us to join these two organisations?
OFFICER: Through you, Madam Chair, it's not mandatory,
but we don't have any involvement with it whatsoever.
We can't take any accreditation from BESS, we're just left on our own in terms
of the environmental sustainability.
CR EL MOUALLEM: I'll say a few words, Madam Mayor,
because Councillor Evans just mentioned money.
I recall I was the Mayor when we decided to get out of the MAV
and I clearly recall that there was a savings.
Now, things seem to have changed a little bit, but mostly
because of the election year there is an extra $35,000 in here.
Now, what I also recall is that previously I didn't get up
to Canberra with the rest of the Councillor group,
but in the two years before my term as a Councillor we've had a delegation
from Council going up to Canberra and that was extra cost on top
of our membership fee, I believe, with MAV.
Now, when I was the Mayor, we pulled out of it, we actually saved
on that money, but it's not only money we save considering that
we are, you know, committing 31.8 million towards
our planet goal.
We actually reduced our carbon footprint by not travelling there,
which was a win-win.
And here what I see in front of me is there is no
- if we start allowing for us to go back to Canberra,
which I must admit I don't know what happens there
because I've never been, but I just heard that there was
a huge conference, I heard from Councillor Castelli there was
lots of motions, we didn't end up hearing our motion.
So it seems like it's just a trip for some Councillors to go up,
but I'm not sure what we're getting out of it and that was really one
of the main reasons when I was the Mayor I actually supported us, you know,
not staying in the MAV because also, on the other hand, if we learnt anything
from COVID it's how to do things online
- Zoom and Teams and this and that.
So I didn't see a real need to go up to Canberra and associate and, you know,
join 79 other councils, or whatever.
At the same time, you know, from my experience as a Mayor,
I felt that we were listened to as a council.
We've had meetings with the federal MPs, with state MPs.
A number of times I seriously didn't find it hard
- I was the Mayor at the time
- for me to get in contact with an MP.
So I don't see why we need to go up to Canberra to meet with MPs.
Why can't we advocate from here or do the Teams and, you know,
these meetings online?
I am going to support this motion because if we are going to prove a point,
we really need to do it over not only one year, we need to do it
over a couple of years where they need to listen.
I haven't seen the changes that they promised us that they will have.
I haven't
- I don't really see the effectiveness of the organisation and specifically
after hearing about what's happening with the Suburban Rail Loop
and the planning and some major, major concerns for our community.
I understand that some rural councils might like the idea of extra density
and that's where here we compromise.
If we are a Council where our community is saying,
"We don't need 20-level buildings",
but a rural council is saying, "We need the extra density",
we are clashing so who is the MAV going to represent in this case?
I don't see this as sorted as yet.
It's not refined.
So I am going to support Councillor del Porto
on this matter tonight.
CR STITFOLD: We need to be very careful about what is political and what
is operational when we're talking about the MAV.
At the moment we're doing great disservice to our operations, to our Council officers
and the directors who are trying to support our processes.
If we don't
- if we want to make a political statement, we can certainly write that letter
and I fully support that, but I also think that we can make
that choice for not going to Canberra.
That is not imposed on us from being in the MAV and that
is another way that we can show our political will not to be part of the MAV.
It's also very important that we do continue, as was mentioned,
our advocacy which we need to be able to have a seat at the table to do that.
I think we have a greater position being within the MAV to actually try
and do the changes that we're talking about.
The MAV have gone through some significant internal changes
and I understand that they're continuing to do that.
They have made undertakings to make sure that rural councils
and peri-urban councils and metropolitan councils are actually
looked at in different ways.
They've also
- it's a great source of information.
It is that networking that officers require.
I've also experienced difficulties through the Association
of Bayside Municipalities because they are auspiced to MAV.
It makes it very difficult to have particular representation and
to even go to some of the forums which we should be part of.
Our operational ability to work far outweighs the political side
of it, which we can
- sorry, not outweighs, but we need to separate those two very significant
issues, make our political
- what is the word?
We can make our political feelings known through other ways, having a seat
at the table, writing the email, continuing to work with the MAV
to get that internal change, but also we need to be able
to support the work of our officers and all of the different things that they do
throughout the MAV.
Councillor del Porto, did you wish to close?
CR DEL PORTO: Madam Mayor, I don't agree that we are creating
a disservice to our Council officers.
My view is that we're elected to Council to represent ratepayers
and residents' interests and Council officers are employed
by the CEO and we employ the CEO to work for us as a board.
Look, clearly, we're not going to get this through.
You're going to go ahead with it, by all means.
But when I hear people say, like Councillor Samuel-King,
"I have very low expectations",
I agree with her, so don't join it.
Councillor Martin, I agree with you too.
I mean, it would be great to, you know, get them to change, to reform.
I've been trying to do this for about 15 years.
I'm not the only one.
All I can think about is the time wasted talking
to people who come up with newly minted reports which
don't do anything.
We are committed, we are Councillors, we're elected to represent residents,
ratepayers and their interests and the politics is very important
because politics means advocacy and advocacy means we get money
like we have got for Yalukit Willam Reserve, many millions
of dollars because it is politics.
So my view is that go ahead and do it, but you'll be just as frustrated as I am
and the money is only 71,000 if you take away the electoral cost (bell
rings).
So it's not 106.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: All those in favour of the motion
- Councillors Castelli, del Porto, El Mouallem.
Those against
- Councillors Evans, Martin, Samuel-King and Stitfold.
The motion is lost.
Do I have an alternative motion?
CR MARTIN: Yes.
If you could bring up some words on the screen there, I'm happy
to have a quick read of the part from the printed report.
They may need a bit of strengthening, from the way I've heard Councillor
Evans speak tonight.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin, did you wish to incorporate some
of the words that Councillor Evans
- CR MARTIN: Oh, most certainly.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin, are you happy with
- CR DEL PORTO: I have a question regarding point 5, "in advance
of 1 July 2025".
I was under the impression the new constitution
requires you to announce you're pulling out of the MAV two years before,
not a year before.
That's only a year.
In other words, you wouldn't be able to get out in one year once you join.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, but I think the point
of what the proposition is that you receive
- after a 12-month period of Council being back in,
that you receive a report on what's changed,
what hasn't changed so that you can continue to advocate.
I think you are correct that if Council rejoin, you're back in
for a two-year period, but to
- oh, no, I won't go there.
I was about to debate the matter, which is not my role.
CR DEL PORTO: Well, the motion itself, since no-one has moved it yet,
makes it look as if you actually are in a position
to do something about it in July 2025.
You're not going to.
"Renewal of its membership".
CR STITFOLD: We're just doing some wordsmithing.
CR DEL PORTO: No problems.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, it's up to the mover and seconder whether
they want to include part 5.
If you want to report back in a year's time
on progress, include it.
If you don't want to report back in 12 months
on progress, don't include it.
CR MARTIN: No, I think what Councillor del Porto
is asking is does that
- it reads a little bit like that we can get out in July 25,
but if you're saying that's not what it says.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Also through you, Chair, what we're suggesting is you include
- make it really clear that if you rejoin you're in there
for two years as part of item 1.
CR MARTIN: Yes, okay.
CR STITFOLD: Do I have a seconder?
CR EVANS: Madam Mayor, the other thing that I have asked
in my debate against the previous motion was that
we do put them on notice that we want these things
changed and we will withdraw if we
- so I don't know that it actually says that within that particular motion so I
was trying to say look, you know, you get one more chance and we'll withdraw
if you don't do these things.
So I just wonder if that could be included, if the mover
is happy with that sentiment.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Can I suggest we include a part 6 that says should council form
the view that its concerns are not being adequately addressed, that the MAV
- CR EVANS: Well, we put them on notice that we'll withdraw.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Yes, should the MAV fail to address Council's concerns,
the Council indicates that it will withdraw its membership in future.
CR EVANS: Yes, I'm happy with that.
CR DEL PORTO: I've just got a question about point 4.
How are we going to actively engage with metro councils relating
to the metro issues?
I mean, it's pretty wishy-washy, you know.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, I'm not sure that's actually a question,
but my response to that would be what we're saying is that that
is a key issue we want MAV to address and if they don't address it,
then you're reserving your right to withdraw.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin, are you happy with it?
CR MARTIN: Yes, look, I'm happy to debate if you like.
CR STITFOLD: Do I have a seconder?
CR EVANS: Second.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans, thank you.
CR MARTIN: Look, thank you.
Look, I won't speak for too long.
I think I spoke on the previous motion.
Those three points need to be taken very seriously.
I do agree with Councillor del Porto actively engage
Metropolitan Council relating to metropolitan issues,
but I'm sensing that the CEO really wants to keep Bayside in there
for the reasons that he's given, so I would expect that the letter
to be followed up with a meeting of the CEO of the MAV with the President
to begin that process of possibly reconciliation and healing.
I mean, if the officers want to get all the benefits from all of this,
they really do need to get in there and ensure that actively engage
Metropolitan Councils relating to metropolitan issues becomes a thing.
I don't know what it is either, but I can see so many things that can come
out of it.
I can see them putting out an options paper to all the councils.
I can see them leading the charge to renewing the South Eastern
Councils Mayoral Forum, or whatever the thing that
is currently meeting once every four years , or whatever it is.
I mean, there is so many things they could do in this fantastic part
of the world that would meet actively engage relating to.
So you've got 12 months.
I would seriously suggest that now Bayside has to lead that.
You can't just sit back.
You've got us all to come back in through your report and all your money
and you all want to be part of the MAV again for
all the great benefits.
Great.
Hold that land.
You've got back on the beach.
Hold it, go forward, get it bigger, and I'm sure you can do it
and I'm sure that even a small bit of reform will bring back the trust
and confidence of metropolitan councils that the MAV is actually able to listen
and do it, and I actually had a bit of a review of the recent board
and I think some of those board members understand
they need to do that.
And there's a lot of support from the other officers and Councillors
around our region about all of this sort of stuff.
It's not like we're the lone rangers here.
We're just the ones that have actually done something.
So we're going back in.
We've got this to lean on and hopefully it all works.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans?
There are no other Councillors.
Councillor Martin, did you wish
- CR DEL PORTO: I'd like to say a few words.
CR STITFOLD: Oh, Councillor del Porto.
CR DEL PORTO: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Look, we're being constructive.
I think that point 4 should have something a bit more grippy
because they're not going to quake in their boots with that one.
I mean, if you're going to have something, have a standing metropolitan committee
created to represent metro issues, not just have another talkfest.
I mean, that would at least have something you could say it's a KPA, take it or not.
Right now it's just talk.
If you change it to create a standing committee
for metropolitan
- of metropolitan councils that could refer to the board, they'll say no,
but at least you have something to point to.
Right now you're expecting Councillor
- CR MARTIN: The mover and the seconder are happy to include that
to seek to establish.
CR DEL PORTO: Thank you for that.
And just quickly, I just wanted to say if you're going to include that
- CR STITFOLD: They're just working on that.
CR DEL PORTO: Okay.
Then I'll wait.
CR STITFOLD: But please speak while
- yes.
CR DEL PORTO: No, unless you're going to hold on and not time me.
I haven't seen the change.
CR STITFOLD: They're just coming up with the words.
CR DEL PORTO: Okay.
To represent metro issues of concern to them, to the metro councils.
(Inaudible).
CR DEL PORTO: Okay, Madam Mayor, just quickly, that's fine.
You might want to split up 4 so that the bottom says
"and actively advocates",
maybe separate that as a separate sentence or a
different point.
That's it.
Look, I mean, that will be something.
I may support it.
I mean, I'd like to see you there as our rep go
through the suffering I've gone through for 10 years.
So you can see how you go.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans?
CR EVANS: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Madam Mayor, I think part and parcel of why we left I think
is a good indication to the MAV that we're unhappy with the way
in which they run the show.
Far be it for me to be a great advocate of the MAV.
I've never been one of the ones that's been a
great supporter of them.
However, I do think that you do gain a lot of benefits and by coming in
and saying why we left, what our concerns are, what we think
they should do, giving them KPIs as to what we think they should do
and a timeframe I think is probably the best we can possibly do
and then reconsider it after a couple of years providing Councillors are still
here or other Councillors can make that decision.
But again, I think it is advantageous for us to be able to say
to them why we left, what we want done and again
- and rely on our experienced Councillors who have been on the MAV for a while
and take into their consideration that they don't think that
metropolitan councils do have a big say within the MAV.
I get that and so I think this is probably going some way where
we can say to them, "Well, we gave you a chance, we came back in,
we gave you KPIs that you've got to adjust to.
If you don't do it, then we're out again.
"CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin, did you wish
- oh, Councillor El Mouallem.
Can we please hurry this along?
CR EL MOUALLEM: Yes, just a couple of questions and I'll debate briefly.
In the 21 and 22 when we went up to Canberra, do we have an idea
about the cost when we went to the MAV functions?
OFFICER: Through you, Chair, we need to take that on notice.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor El Mouallem, I think we need to stick
to what we're debating.
We can make a choice as to whether or not we go up there.
It's not
- CR EL MOUALLEM: It's not in this one.
CR STITFOLD: Yes, but it's a cost that is not part of
- CR EL MOUALLEM: With all respect, Madam Mayor, Councillor Evans was debating
on money earlier.
He mentioned the cost and I thought
- CR SAMUEL-KING: Point of order.
The Mayor has made a decision.
MR MICK CUMMINS: Through you, Chair, that issue is not the issue
before the Council at this point.
It's not related to the
- joining the MAV does not compel Council to attend or not attend.
You need a separate resolution on that matter.
It's not relevant and that's what the Mayor has ruled.
So I suspect you should move on.
CR EL MOUALLEM: I'll just say a couple of words.
Considering that in this we've added four, five, six points in there
and I don't see any indication on, you know, not joining them in Canberra or
if we are to join them maybe to use some sustainable transport,
maybe bikes or whatever, to keep an eye on our carbon footprint considering it
is not in these six points, I am not happy, I cannot support it.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Samuel King.
CR SAMUEL-KING: I was just about to bring up another point
of order that my fellow Councillor had been advised not to speak on that matter.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you.
Councillor Martin, did you wish to close?
CR MARTIN: Well, that was good.
No, you don't have to attend the Australian Local Government
Association's conference in Canberra.
It's not the MAV's conference.
It's the Australian Local Government Association's conference
and you don't have to go.
Council doesn't have to go.
Councillors are invited to attend if they wish.
If they do wish, it has to go through a forum here, I think we've got
to vote on it.
It's a very simple thing.
And if you want to save your carbon footprint, you know,
buy carbon offset.
The planes will still fly.
Look, this motion here is
- I think it's quite a strong motion.
To be quite honest, it's better
- like thank you, Councillor del Porto, for using your experience
to make it a bit sharper and a bit more grippy.
But as I said earlier, I really do hope that
- look, Bayside is a leader.
We're a sector leader.
We've got a lot of respect.
There is no doubt about that.
Wherever I go, people actually really do respect us
as a sector leader.
It is something that we go out to do and when we've taken this action,
it has been noted and I really do hope the board takes this
- I know the board want to take this seriously.
So I hope this empowers them and we get a good hearing and
they actually do set up this committee.
CR STITFOLD: All those in favour
- Councillors Evans, Martin, Samuel-King, Stitfold.
All those against
- Councillor Castelli, Councillor del Porto,
Councillor El Mouallem.
Motion carried.
We move on to 10.7.
Councillor Samuel-King, I understand you have a conflict
of interest.
CR SAMUEL-KING: Yes, one of the advisory committees or
committees of management that Yalukit Willam Nature
Reserve is being spoken about potentially and my partner, as I've said previously,
is the strategic consultant for the Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve.
I've filled out the red form and will step out.
CR STITFOLD: And that would be a general?
CR SAMUEL-KING: General.
CR STITFOLD: General, thank you.
CR DEL PORTO: You're going off again.
CR STITFOLD: 10.7, Review of Advisory Committee Charters.
There were no requests to be heard.
CR DEL PORTO: So move.
CR MARTIN: Second.
CR STITFOLD: Moved Councillor del Porto, seconded Councillor Martin.
CR DEL PORTO: Thank you very much, Madam Mayor.
Just to read on that we want to keep
- make all the advisory committees consistent and
they mostly were.
There was one or two that had some unusual features, unusual terms
of reference that we've now, what's the word, socialised
- I like that word.
So happy that we've socialised them and that the two points that I'm
very strong about, the first one about having committee members having
majority of Bayside residents, I think that's an important point,
and the minutes of the meeting must be circulated
within 10 days following the accrual of the chair,
I think that's also important.
So I'm happy to support it.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Martin.
CR MARTIN: Yes, look, we've had trouble with our committees.
I think one of the committee minutes a few months ago ended up in national news.
We ended up on Sky News for some reason.
So it was important to review them and we have done that.
We've reviewed our internal processes and we've also reviewed them
to ensure that they are consistent.
Sometimes you've got to understand that the way people operate
it's maybe not the charter, it's the way that people are actually
operating within these constructs that cause some of the issues.
So it's very important to have these committees chaired well and
to ensure that all the members that are attending
the committees understand their role, how the governance processes work,
what they can do, what they can't do and, you know, what their remit is.
So this is a really good thing to be done, but for it to work we need to get it back
down into the committees and inform and educate the members
of those committees on what we're doing.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor El Mouallem.
CR EL MOUALLEM: I'd just like clarification
on when we say committee membership must consist of majority of Bayside residents,
majority, is it like a plus one or is there a percentage
of them that should be Bayside residents?
OFFICER: Through you, Madam Mayor, majority will consist of a majority
of members, which includes plus one.
So if you've got 10 members, then it will be 5, plus 1 will be 6.
CR EL MOUALLEM: Madam Mayor, I support this one,
but I was really hoping that the majority means more than probably the plus 1.
I am on a couple of committees.
One of them is 100% Bayside residents.
One of them is probably majority.
So I thought maybe while we're doing all this it would be great
if we can get a majority, let's say, 75 or 70 or 80%, something, because
at the end of the day these committees are
recommending issues that relate to Bayside,
so sometimes it might require some funding or some money and it all comes
from Bayside residents.
So while we're doing all this, which I fully support and it is very,
very good to standardise it all and streamline it, it would be fantastic
if we can be more stringent on the majority in a way
to have the 70 or 80% at least majority rather than the plus 1.
CR STITFOLD: There are no other Councillors wishing to debate.
All those in favour
- sorry, Councillor del Porto, did you wish to close?
All those in favour
- Councillors Castelli, del Porto, Evans, Martin, El Mouallem, Stitfold,
there are none against.
Motion carried.
Could Councillor Samuel-King be brought back to the chamber, please.
CR STITFOLD: I think we'll move on to 10.8, Naming of laneway between Clive
and Hornby Streets, Brighton East.
CR DEL PORTO: I move that.
CR STITFOLD: Moved Councillor del Porto, seconded Councillor El Mouallem.
CR DEL PORTO: Madam Mayor, thank you for that.
I actually know that lane really quite well.
It's off Clive Street and it's quite a wide lane and so I'm very
happy that we've named it.
What I wasn't sure about was the name of Otley Lane is actually named
after the one magnificent heritage house on Clive Street with the lovely tower.
In fact I think that building, Otley, and also Landcox Park are the two major
historical properties on that side of Brighton.
So happy to support it.
I note that 92% of those who responded were happy
to have it named, so obviously they know that that's the heritage house.
Happy to do it.
Thank you.
I move it.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor El Mouallem.
CR EL MOUALLEM: Just happy to support the ward Councillor.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans.
CR EVANS: Yes, also very happy that it's named
after Otley.
I have seen that house.
It's a beautiful house and the owners are very, very proud of it.
They've done it up in a magnificent way.
They treasure the house and I think that it's aptly named
Otley that lane, so again, very, very supportive.
CR STITFOLD: All those in favour
- Councillors Castelli, del Porto, Evans, Martin, Samuel-King, El Mouallem,
Stitfold.
There are none against.
Carried.
Councillor Castelli, you wish to move a block?
CR CASTELLI: I propose that we block 9 and 11.
CR STITFOLD: All those in favour
- sorry, a seconder.
Oh, my goodness.
CR EVANS: Second.
CR STITFOLD: You can tell I want to go home, right?
All those in favour
- Councillors Castelli, del Porto, Evans, Martin, Samuel-King, El Mouallem,
and Stitfold.
Carried.
We now move to 10.10, 2023-24 2nd Quarter Performance Report (October
to December 2023).
Councillors, you will be aware of an amended officers' recommendation
for this item.
I will read the changes.
The changes are "that Council notes the 2023-24
quarter 2 Performance Report for the period October to December 2023
and that the Chief Executive Officer confirms in accordance with S97(3)
of the Local Government Act 2020 that a revised budget is not required."
There were two written statements received for this item, from Mr George Reynolds
and Mr Andrew Hockley for the Highett Progress Association.
There were also two requests to speak received.
Could the first speaker, Ms Kate Quennell, please approach the speaker's table.
SPEAKER: She's not here.
CR STITFOLD: And Mr George Reynolds is not here either, so do I have a mover?
CR DEL PORTO: Move.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor del Porto.
CR MARTIN: Second.
CR STITFOLD: Seconded Councillor Martin.
Councillor del Porto?
Councillor Martin?
CR MARTIN: I just want to highlight the fact that we're on track
on virtually all of our actions.
There's a lot of fantastic commentary written
within the report.
I thank the officers for their diligence to communicating what's happening
within Council and the fact that the work that's getting
done is really exemplary and quite exciting when you go through it
and it is a good reminder of how much work is getting done, you know, every year,
every month, every week and every day within the Council.
You know, I think us Councillors get a lot of negative feedback
to the point where you can become a little bit concerned about the performance
of the Council, but on nights like tonight, when you get a chance
to actually read through what is actually happening in this Council,
you have to say that we are on track and it does give you the motivation
and the energy to get back into the fray and speak on behalf of the Council and,
you know, let the people know what's going on and that things aren't as bad
as they're portrayed.
The amplification and noise that a very minor group
of people can make in this community these days can undermine
the complete trust and confidence of what these 79 councils are trying to do
in Victoria on what would be described as limited budgets and all they have to do
is come and read Bayside Council's 23-24 2nd Quarter
Performance Report from October-December 23 and find out what actually
is getting done by this particular Council.
I would challenge anyone to find where we're wasting all this money
and where all these bludgers are and how we can cull all these costs,
because I couldn't find it in here really, I really couldn't.
So well done.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans and then Councillor Castelli.
Sorry, I saw
- oh, okay.
CR CASTELLI: Alright.
Just to say that one of our speakers was from the HPA and they represented quite a
huge group and they're actually for this budget, so that
to me means that it's going in the right direction,
not that I didn't believe it, okay?
I do believe this is going in the right direction.
We're doing well.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor Evans.
CR EVANS: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Madam Mayor, one of the really interesting parts of this is
on page 410 to 414 which I reckon I helped design back
in 2016 which is the major project status summary,
which I think is really a terrific indication
of where things are.
So if people ask you what's happening at Black Rock Lifesaving Club or what's
happening at the Beauie Arts Group, you can point them to that and say,
there's where it is, that's where it's going, how much
is being spent, what the year to date.
So it's a great little snapshot of our major project summary.
So again, highlighted in a really good way.
It's a good graphical indication.
It comes up each time and again, I did have some input in it back in 2016.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor del Porto, did you wish to close?
CR DEL PORTO: Yes, I just wanted to say that look,
I think Councillor Martin is right.
People keep having a go at Council, but every time they do I just tell them
that we keep building new infrastructure, new pavilions without borrowing a cent
and then they go quiet, you know.
So my view is that we're probably one of the best-run
Councils in Victoria, thanks to Mr Shanahan and Mr Cummins, and also,
unlike some other councils, we are continuing
to pursue the Aged Care Package service, which will contribute revenue
and while the number looks like it went down
- slowed down a little bit, the ongoing growth and sustainability
of the important service remains strong.
So we actually found some savings of 1.48 million
from the project budget savings identified
I think we're running a pretty good ship, so well done.
You can take a day off tomorrow.
CR STITFOLD: All those in favour
- Councillors Castelli, del Porto, Evans, Martin, Samuel-King, El Mouallem
and Stitfold.
There were none against.
Carried.
10.11, Council Action Awaiting Report.
Oh, sorry.
CR DEL PORTO: It was moved.
CR STITFOLD: Reports by delegates, also a number 11, the Association
of Bayside Municipalities.
Councillor Martin, did you wish to speak?
CR MARTIN: Yes, look, we attended a coastal round table down
in Safety Bay on Friday.
It was a full day.
We were presented with the leading scientist
in rising sea levels from the CSIRO recently retired.
We were also presented by a scientist presenting
out of the UK via Zoom providing his what is known as the risk engine
of rising sea levels, which he's providing advice
to the Reserve Bank and other financial institutions
on the risk of inundation within our low-level lands.
We also had a presentation by the adviser from the Insurance Council
of Australia who was giving us an update on how many people aren't
getting insured anymore.
He spoke about Lismore and he provided the estimates of that.
And we also had another scientist who goes out to sea
and ensures that the tide gauges out in the oceans, the
- sorry, the flooding swell meters out in the oceans are properly maintained
and rigged and understood the data coming out of them, the tide gauges
around Australia, the geometrics that are happening
in the land.
The bottom line was we had the Deputy Secretary of Planning there listening
to the whole thing, we had a member of the Government there through an MP,
and it is absolutely categoric that we will be getting inundated
with rising sea levels in our low-level
- not right everywhere, but every municipality has got low-level
land that's going to be inundated and we're now very close to it,
it's only 20
- I think they're talking about 2040 where it's really going
to hit the pace, so only 16 years away.
These scientists just could not even say anything more than "you need
to do something"
and I suppose what came out of the meeting on Friday is a communique to all levels
of government to say you need to listen to this and you need
to help coastal fronting councils and the Bayside Council
to fund adaptation retreat and other very costly exercises in dealing
with this problem.
But no-one seems to be listening, no-one seems to care, everyone just tunes out.
So it just seems to me that we have to watch the good residents of Elwood,
parts of Brighton, parts of Beauie get flooded
through both an intensive storm event, you know, and seriously high tides,
rock falls, cliff falls, it's all happening, until we see more debate.
But no-one is talking about rising sea levels except these guys
and the finance guys.
So the finance guys when they start withdrawing insurance,
as they are, and you're watching your insurance bills
go up because not as many people are paying anymore,
we will start learning more about it.
But it is such a serious issue.
I don't know how we can get any more traction on it.
Thank you.
CR STITFOLD: Number 2, Metropolitan Transport Forum,
the Director Environment, Recreation and Infrastructure,
Jill Colson.
MS JILL COLSON: Through you, Chair, the Metropolitan Transport Forum held its
monthly meeting on 6 March.
Metro Trains Executive Director for Network Integration, Paul O'Halloran,
shared a presentation on metro trains covering themes
of passenger demand recovery following COVID with greater volumes
of passages now using services over weekends.
There was also a report on the executives meeting
with the Opposition transport spokesperson , Mr Matthew Guy, with MPF advocating
for improved bus efficiency and cycling improvements.
MTF continues with their advocacy on transport access issues, with parts
of the network failing DDA requirements and Banyule
and Booroondara Councils provided a monthly update on transport matters
in their municipalities.
CR STITFOLD: Thank you.
The Inner South Metropolitan Mayors' Forum
There was an initial meeting, just really a meet and greet,
between Glen Eira, Booroondara, Kingston and Bayside.
There are many common issues which we will be working on.
South East Councils Climate Change Alliance, the CEO and I met Helen Steele,
the newly appointed CEO.
Once again, it was a little bit of a fact-finding meet and greet meeting.
Can I have a mover?
CR DEL PORTO: So move that, Mayor.
CR STITFOLD: Councillor del Porto.
CR EVANS: Second.
CR STITFOLD: Seconded Councillor Evans.
All those in favour
- Councillors Castelli, del Porto, Evans, Martin, Samuel-King, El Mouallem,
and Stitfold.
There were none against.
Carried.
Item number 13, Notices of Motion.
There were no Notices of Motion.
Thank you to those following the Council meeting
tonight.
Good evening.
I declare the meeting closed at 9.32.
Officers, please switch off the webcasting.