Close Menu
  • Bayside News Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Read Our Newspapers Online
    • Read the Latest Western Port News
    • Read the Latest Mornington News
    • Read the Latest Southern Peninsula News
    • Read the Latest Frankston Times
    • Read the Latest Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Friday, July 11
Facebook X (Twitter)
Bayside News
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Police investigate Bonbeach collision
Breaking News
Bayside News
Home»News»Councillors commit to committees
News

Councillors commit to committees

Neil WalkerBy Neil Walker3 June 2015Updated:15 June 2015No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Stock Photos. Kingston Municipal Offices.
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

A NEW way for Kingston Council to seek community feedback is beginning to take shape.

Kingston councillors have backed a plan to establish new council advisory committees after the village committees system of consultation was controversially axed last year (‘Village committees canned’, The News 28/5/14).

Kingston residents will be able to apply to sit on individual advisory committees focused on arts and culture, access and equity, community safety, festivals and events, public spaces and environment, sports and recreation, business and economic development and a youth advisory committee.

A councillor will be appointed chairperson for each of the eight committees.

The committees focused on specific areas of expertise replace the village committees which were split by location. For more than 20 years the village committees considered wide-ranging subjects to provide public feedback to council.

Critics of the new consultation system note the specialised advisory committees will report back to councillors behind closed doors at councillors’ briefings rather than at public council meetings as previously.

Cr Rosemary West hoped council “will not hobble these committees to the point where no-one goes on them”.

“Councillors have made it really clear they do not want these committees to obtain information and advice from [council] officers via a similar system formally utilised by the village committees.”

Cr Paul Peulich said the advisory committees replacement of village committees is “a more efficient and effective model [and] is a positive reform.”

“[It is important] to have a well-functioning committee structure which is able to advise council and inform council about community views and also tap into local expert knowledge … is vital in any decision-making process, especially at local government level.”

The committees will be able to report directly to council and will be able to help council “shape policy”, according to Cr Peulich.

Councillors unanimously backed the draft plan for the new advisory committees although not all are convinced it will be an improvement on the former village committees system.

Cr West believed the new consultation process is “a bit of a charade” but said she would support it since “we’ve been nearly a year without community consultation”.

“This council sacked the village committees and shame on the councillors that did vote to sack the village committees.”

Crs Ron Brownlees, Tamsin Bearsley, Geoff Gledhill, John Ronke and Peulich voted to end the village committees.

Crs West, Steve Staikos, David Eden and Tamara Barth opposed the move.

First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 3 June 2015

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Neil Walker

Related Posts

Councillors complete Canberra trip

10 July 2025

Life-saving acts recognised

9 July 2025

Tree milestone met

4 July 2025
Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Peninsula Essence Magazine

Click Here to Read

1 July 2025
Peninsula Kids Magazine

Click Here to Read

3 June 2025
Property of the Week

34 Pine Hill Drive, Frankston

21 March 2025
Council Watch

Council considers LGBTQIA+ initiatives

11 June 2025

New conditions applied to grants

4 June 2025
100 Years Ago this Week

Thefts at the Pier Hotel – £15 fine on three charges

8 July 2025
Interviews

Writing racecourse history

6 February 2024
Contact

Street: 1/15 Wallis Drive, Hastings, 3915
Mailing: PO Box 588, Hastings, 3915

Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Police investigate Bonbeach collision
About

Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.

MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.

MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.

Facebook X (Twitter)
© 2025 Mornington Peninsula News Group.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.