DISCOLOURED bright green water at Lake Carramar in the Quiet Lakes at Patterson Lakes has prompted Kingston Council to write to the state government and Melbourne Water “expressing concern” over high levels of toxic blue-green algae. Melbourne Water and council have long argued over who should pay to run bores to increase water flow and help stop the algae forming at the lakes in the residential housing estate. Councillors at the latest public council meeting on 3 May stopped short of complaining to the Essential Services Commission and the Energy and Water Ombudsman of Victoria at Cr Tamsin Bearsley’s suggestion.…
Author: Neil Walker
A NEW headquarters for the Chelsea unit of the SES will be built in Aspendale with $2.8 million in funding last week allocated to its construction in the 2017-18 state budget. Chelsea unit controller Ron Fitch welcomed the decision by the state government to provide funding for a new base on the corner of Nepean Highway and Station Street, Aspendale for Chelsea area state emergency services. Construction is expected to begin next year, subject to Kingston Council approval, with completion estimated as early 2020 at the latest. “There were times when we thought it may never happen but we never…
AN independent review of Frankston Council’s handling of negotiations over a new lease for the Frankston Basketball Stadium has been ruled out of bounds while negotiations remain deadlocked. Frankston mayor Cr Brian Cunial used his mayoral casting vote at last Monday’s public council meeting to stop the commencement of an audit of “the processes and negotiations of the Frankston Basketball Association building extension project” after councillors voted 4-4 on Cr Glenn Aitken’s notice of motion calling for an immediate review. The mayor said the Frankston & District Basketball Association have been “very difficult to deal with” during lease negotiations. “They…
AN abrupt about turn by Frankston councillors withdrawing support for a container port at Hastings has plunged council into troubled waters. The Frankston and Mornington Peninsula Shire councils previously officially supported the establishment of a port at Hastings by a state government potentially decades from now. A second container port to service the Melbourne area will be needed when the Port of Melbourne reaches capacity. Councillors at last Monday evening’s public council meeting on 1 May voted to oppose the establishment of a port at Hastings after Cr Quinn McCormack urged fellow elected representatives to oppose any dredging or deepening…
A SPORTS bar will be built on Mordialloc’s Main St after clinching a controversial extra-time win at VCAT. A three-level Sporting Globe and Grill bar, with a maximum capacity of 450 patrons and open-air rooftop bar, will be built at 590 Main St despite 161 community objections to the bar. Kingston councillors unanimously voted to reject the planning application late last year (“Sports bar on the outer”, The News 7/12/16) but the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal effectively overruled council last month to give the sports bar the go ahead. Objectors raised concerns about anti-social behaviour, littering, a lack of…