KINGSTON Council’s chief executive officer John Nevins has seen his annual pay rise by 1.5 per cent to more than $380,000 after a performance review. The mayor Cr Steve Staikos confirmed the salary increase, in line with the annual consumer price index, colloquially known as “the cost of living”, when asked by The News. The annual review was listed as a matter to be considered by councillors in the confidential section of the March council meeting agenda. It was discussed behind closed doors by councillors as is customary when finalising council personnel matters. Cr Staikos said an independent facilitator helped…
Author: Neil Walker
TAXPAYERS’ money could be heading to a sports stadium at Jubilee Park if a Frankston Council plan to divert funding from its original destination of the Frankston Basketball Stadium in Seaford. Council CEO Dennis Hovenden says council has approached the state government to ask that the state’s $2.5 million part of the money originally earmarked for the Seaford stadium upgrades instead go to a multi-purpose sports stadium at Jubilee Park. Mr Hovenden said council “fiercely wanted to protect the funding” for the Frankston region after negotiations with the Frankston Basketball & District Association (FDBA) over a new lease for a…
MATCHING funding announcements from both major political parties seem set to be a political tactic in the lead up to November’s state election. Premier Daniel Andrews attended the Frankston Dolphins’ first game back in the VFL last Saturday (7 April) and announced a re-elected Labor state government would include $700,000 towards new lighting at the club’s stadium. The lighting followed a similar pledge by Liberal opposition leader Matthew Guy late last month when Mr Guy said $650,000 of taxpayers’ money would go towards new stadium lights if the Coalition wins government (“Friday night lights for Dolphins’ stadium”, The Times 26/3/18).…
A LANGWARRIN man is lucky to be alive after trying to remove a gas tank from a car using an angle grinder on Tuesday morning. The Ford sedan’s gas tank exploded, likely due to a spark from the angle grinder, on Cranbourne Road at about 10.45am on Tuesday (10 April). Paramedics treated the man for “cuts and abrasions” at the scene after an ambulance was called in the wake of the blaze. “It’s best if experts remove gas tanks from vehicles,” Senior Sergeant Phil Hulley, of Frankston police, said. The unregistered car was destroyed in the fire caused by the gas tank explosion.…
ALL roads lead to a state election in November and voters should prepare for a steady flow of political pledges in marginal electorates along the Frankston line. Politicians from both major political parties were out in force on Monday (9 April) to begin wooing voters by making big promises on road infrastructure projects. Premier Daniel Andrews visited Aspendale Gardens first up to announce the planned $375 million Mordialloc bypass will no longer be tolled and will be a freeway. “We’d all rather be home with friends and family than stuck in traffic – that’s why we’re getting things done in…