FOUR councils in the south-east of Melbourne have teamed up to call for planning reform.
Kingston Council has linked up with Bayside, Boroondara, Glen Eira councils to form the Inner South Metropolitan Mayor’s Forum.
The coalition of councils has released a document outlining their plans and priorities on planning matters. They are hoping to see state planning laws reformed to give more power to councils and local communities.
Boroondara mayor Jane Addis said that recent planning law changes had “dramatically changed our planning system to reduce the opportunity for councils and their communities to genuinely participate in decision making affecting their lives.”
The ISMMF plan also outlined the council’s wishlist for public space projects. The coalition is calling for the long-awaited chain of parks project to be fully realised.
Kingston mayor Steve Staikos said, “there are immediate opportunities to deliver new green open spaces, but we can’t do it without the state government’s support.”
Other projects that the councils will advocate for are more social and affordable housing, and for improved maternal and child health services.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 26 October 2022
