FRANKSTON’S Green Wedge management plan has been approved by council at their 14 October meeting. In voting for the plan, councillors chose to reject a move to open up part of Green Wedge land in Carrum Downs to allow for the expansion of the industrial precinct. The amendment made to the plan read “that any reference to the potential expansion of the Carrum Downs industrial precinct is removed from the draft plan, including all recommendations to further investigate this potential.” Cr Quinn McCormack said “the importance [of the Green Wedge] is paramount. It’s vital to protect and to retain the…
Author: Brodie Cowburn
KINGSTON Council officers will inspect the Dingley Village Kingswood golf course site to ensure that the owners are complying with a permit for tree and vegetation removal. A special council meeting was called on 14 October to discuss the removal of vegetation and trees at the site. Councillors voted that “in light of the recent moon scaping and destruction of vegetation on the Kingswood Golf Course” they would “instruct officers to inspect the Kingswood site to ensure compliance with the permit including trees and vegetation removal, discover the impact of the use of toxic pesticides particularly given the Kingswood site…
THE Victorian Electoral Commission will recommend that Kingston Council grow from nine councillors to eleven at the next election. The VEC’s electoral representation review began in June and the final report was published on 9 October. The final report stated that council should remain split into three wards, but that two of those wards should expand to four councillors. The VEC report stated that “Kingston City Council had the highest voter-to-councillor ratio among Metropolitan Melbourne local councils with nine councillors and that population growth and development would place pressure on councillor workloads and the city’s planning and policy processes. In…
PENINSULA RED Hill have secured a narrow win over Pines away from home. Playing out of Eric Bell Reserve, the travelling Red Hill chose to bat first. They lost their first opener for a duck but recovered well from there. All of Red Hill’s middle order performed well on the day, and they ended up putting 189 runs on the board by the time their innings expired. Pines bowler Patrick Jackson played a part, helping to clean up the tail and finishing with good figures of 4/24. Pines’ run chase started well with a 38 run opening stand, but they…
FRANKSTON Council’s draft annual report has been released, revealing expenditure for the 2018/2019 financial year. The report features a detailed financial rundown of where ratepayer’s money has been going this year. Council posted a surplus of $15.7 million at the end of the 18/19 financial year, about half of the $30.7 million surplus posted the year before. The report stated that the “variation is mainly due to the minimal increase in rates capped at 2.25 per cent being much lower than the operational cost increases during the year such as the cost of material and waste disposal escalating at a…