A FORMER mayor of Frankston has hit out at a lack of transparency at council. Kris Bolam says Frankston Council’s “disregard for enhancing transparency” is frustrating. Mr Bolam slammed a council attempt to effectively censor councillors after a draft amended media policy sought to make it mandatory for councillors to inform mayor Cr Sandra Mayer “of any comments that they have made or are intending to make to the media” (‘Councillors’ free speech threatened, The Times 18/5/15). The Times understands several councillors are concerned about the move to try to control what they say and the draft policy has been…
Author: Neil Walker
SIMMERING tensions between Frankston Council and the Labor state government have boiled over mere months after last November’s state election. Simmering tensions over major projects such as the Frankston station precinct redevelopment has seen council launch an attack on the state government. The mayor Cr Sandra Mayer released a statement last Friday (29 May) blasting the Andrews government over its lack of commitment to a container port at Hastings. “After six months under Labor, the south-east Melbourne region is going backwards with major road, rail and now freight projects being scrapped, and the Mornington Peninsula environment and tourism industry again…
FUNDING for State Emergency Service units will not be pared back in Frankston if the state government’s planned rate capping policy comes into force next financial year. Some Victorian councils, such as Cardinia Shire Council, have reportedly threatened to cut SES funding if Labor goes ahead with its plan to limit future rate rises to inflation costs. When asked by The Times, Frankston mayor Cr Sandra Mayer said council will continue to support the Frankston SES unit. “Council’s funding for the Frankston SES was approximately $46,500 in 2014-15 through the community grants program, and the same amount is recommended in…
THE possibility of a second season of the SBS TV series Struggle Street being filmed in Frankston has galvanised councillors to protest to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. At last week’s council meeting councillors unanimously backed a proposal by Cr Glenn Aitken to ask the HREOC and the Australian Press Council to “investigate the negative impact of sensationalist media coverage which stigmatises entire communities, such as the recent unacceptable branding of the Mt Druitt community in NSW and repeated attacks upon the reputation of Frankston”. Online bookmaker Sportsbet named Frankston as the joint favourite suburb to be the…
THERE have been five cases of proven bullying at Frankston Council in the past two years. Information obtained by The Times under freedom of information laws reveal there were 36 matters in two years in which the term “bullying” was used. An FOI search by council found 54 internal documents from 1 January 2013 until 11 February 2015 contained the word “bullying”. Council CEO Dennis Hovenden has confirmed five of the complaints were “either fully or partially substantiated”. Alleged bullying at Frankston Council was thrust into the public spotlight when councillors clashed at January’s public council meeting over “intimidating behaviour”…