A U-turn has seen councillors unanimously vote to overturn a previous decision to move the Frankston Visitor Information Centre from the foreshore to central Frankston.
Councillors voted at the 3 April public council meeting to keep the visitors centre near Frankston pier after a majority of councillors first voted last October behind closed doors to move the centre away from its current site.
Cr Sandra Mayer hailed the council u-turn as “a great outcome” at March’s meeting.
“At the time that we originally made the decision it was in closed council, we didn’t have the luxury of being able to go and speak to the volunteers … we couldn’t consult, it was confidential,” she said.
“It didn’t get ugly. Some things get ugly sometimes. I’m just so impressed with the way that the volunteers handled themselves on this. They just appealed to us in a very civilised way.”
Cr Steve Toms said he had changed his mind and vote after volunteers who staff the visitors centre approached him “based on their true love and commitment to the visitor information centre service that they provide at the Frankston foreshore.
“I’m very happy at this turnaround by council.”
Cr Glenn Aitken praised the volunteers’ personal touch when speaking to visitors to Frankston to promote the area to tourists.
He and the mayor Cr Colin Hampton will join council officers on a sub-committee looking at ways to improve the centre’s services and councillors will consider any changes in May.
The Frankston Visitor Information Centre was inducted into the Australian Tourism Awards national hall of fame in 2015 after three consecutive gold award wins.
“The best visitor information centre in the country stays,” Cr Mayer said.
