Author: Neil Walker

A PETITION calling on Frankston Council not to offer a commercial lease on a public golf course saw council CEO Dennis Hovenden teed off that the proposal became public before councillors formally discussed the matter. South Ward councillor Brian Cunial read a 103-signature petition at council’s 23 April public council meeting imploring council to “keep Frankston’s Centenary Park Public Golf Course in public hands”. A visibly frustrated Mr Hovenden urged mayor Cr Colin Hampton, chairing the meeting, to stop Cr Cunial reading out the petition. Before he was interrupted, Cr Cunial said people who signed the petition were concerned “that…

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A PROTEST against the planned Mordialloc freeway landed on the doorstop of state MP Tim Richardson last week. About a dozen Residents Against Mordialloc Freeway (RAMF) protesters visited the Labor MP’s Nepean Highway office on Monday (23 April) to make their discontent known about possible environmental impacts of the project. Concerns about the impact of the $375 million bypass on the nearby Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands and the possible obstruction of the flight path of rare and endangered birds have been flagged by RAMF. The 9-kilometre Mordialloc bypass will link the Mornington Peninsula Freeway in Aspendale Gardens to the Dingley Bypass “It’s…

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THIS month’s public council meeting saw a councillor ejected from the chamber by the mayor during a fiery disagreement. Mayor Cr Colin Hampton ordered Cr Kris Bolam from the council chamber late in the 3 April meeting as the pair duelled over a point of order and dissent against a mayoral ruling while chairing the meeting. Cr Hampton was criticising councillors who “talk the talk but don’t walk the walk” on keeping costs to ratepayers under control when Cr Bolam indicated he would raise a motion of dissent if the mayor persisted in criticising councillors who raised notices of motion…

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A SEVEN-STOREY sign advertising Karingal Hub Shopping Centre has been given the go-ahead by Frankston Council after a feisty debate at the 3 April public council meeting. The shopping centre owners ISPT Super Property asked councillors to approve an illuminated and floodlit promotional sign at Karingal Hub ahead of a major refit of the shopping centre. Council’s decision was deferred from December until this month. Councillors were split on approving the advertising sign at the April council meeting. Mayor Cr Colin Hampton used his mayoral casting vote to give the sign the green light after councillors were split 4-4 on…

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Council will consider installing green walls, also known as vertical gardens, throughout central Frankston but only after finalising how much the initiative will cost ratepayers. The state government is already working with council to install a green wall in Young Street as part of the Frankston train station redevelopment project and councillors support more green walls in principle although some are concerned about the expense of green walls. A green wall at the Civic Centre will be scoped before a final decision is made to push ahead with the project. “Greening our city … is a wonderful thing that we…

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