FRANKSTON councillor Steve Toms has been handed a four month suspension after a bullying complaint against him was upheld at a councillor conduct panel. Cr Toms was found guilty of “serious misconduct” for allegedly bullying colleague Lillian O’Connor. The councillor conduct panel was asked to investigate an allegation that “Cr Toms had repeatedly behaved in an intimidating, offensive and disrespectful manner toward a fellow councillor, Cr Lillian O’Connor, which adversely affected Cr O’Connor’s health, and that these actions constituted the bullying of another councillor.” The panel determined that they were “satisfied that the alleged behaviour occurred and was unreasonable in…
Author: Brodie Cowburn
A FORENSIC investigation into the sale of public space on Evelyn Street has been ordered by Frankston Council. Cr Glenn Aitken said that “there is concern that discussions or negotiations” occurred “before councillors were informed.” He said that an investigation into the proposed sale would be “healthy”. Council had voted on 18 February to sell the parcel of land to the Department of Justice for over $4 million, but pulled out of the deal on 3 June in favour of turning the land into a park. Cr Sandra Mayer said “what concerns me is I got sucked in to selling…
KINGSTON COUNCIL is calling for the state government to follow through on their promise to invest in the Chain of Parks project. The Chain of Parks project has seen council purchase former landfill sites with the aim of turning them into linked parkland spaces. Earlier this year council spent $2.6 million on 3.02 hectares of land in Clarinda for the project, and commenced work at the Victory Road parkland site. In the leadup to the state election at the end of last year, the state government pledged that creating “the Sandbelt Parklands, a 355 hectare chain of parks running from…
CHANGES to plans for Hawthorn Football Club’s new Dingley home have been given a thumbs up by Kingston Council. Councillors voted at their 26 August meeting to put amendments to Hawthorn Football Club’s Dingley plans to the planning minister. Those amendments will then be exhibited, and a further report will be received by council after the close of that exhibition. The officer’s report provided to councillors said that the proposal “allows for the following matters to be considered by council that would otherwise be prohibited: A function centre in association with an outdoor recreation facility with up to 400 patrons…
THE Mordialloc Redbacks Junior Football Club’s under-13 side has been booted from the 2019 finals after an AFL South East investigation found them guilty of playing an overage player. An AFL South East statement read that the team “knowingly” played an overage player using false names for four games during the season. The club, which plays in the Frankston and District Junior Football League, was found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute. In addition to having match points stripped, the team’s manager has been suspended from holding any official role at the club for two years and the coach…