NEW councillors elected this weekend who have never served on council may get a helping hand from mentorship services provided by a former Kingston councillor and mayor. Topsy Petchey, a four-time Kingston mayor and councillor for eight years until 2008, has been a consultant for hire to both Frankston and Mornington Peninsula Shire councils in the past few years. Her TePee Pty Ltd business offers mentorship, mediation and consultation advice and help for councils and companies. Frankston Council confirmed $59,695 was paid to Ms Petchey over two council terms, totalling eight years, for work done to assist council and councillors.…
Author: Neil Walker
THE results of the weekend’s council elections will not be known until more than seven days after polling day. Voters had until 6pm on Friday (21 October) to complete and return ballot papers to the Victorian Electoral Commission to be counted but the election overseer will also count any votes received before midday on Friday 28 October to account for any postal delays. Frankston Council votes will be tallied by computer count. Provisional results are expected between noon on Friday 28 October and Sunday 30 October and will be listed on the VEC’s website. Results for all elections are provisional…
DIRTY tricks accusations plague most federal and state election campaigns and council elections are no different but it seems council election wrongdoers can escape without public sanction. This month’s Kingston Council elections again have candidates on high alert about allegedly misleading and unauthorised flyers being handed out amid claims some candidates have had election material removed from letterboxes in some streets after they were hand delivered. The News understands complaints will be lodged with the Victorian Electoral Commission but there seems little chance of any substantial or public action being taken against anyone found guilty of election campaign misdeeds. Previous…
THE final public meeting of Frankston councillors before elections this month saw the mayor Cr James Dooley threaten to call police to remove people from the public gallery amid shouting matches between councillors witnessed by a crying child. This four-year Frankston Council term has been beset by infighting between councillors that has often spilled out into the council chamber at public council meetings. Several meetings have been adjourned or abruptly ended during this council term over councillors’ accusations and counter claims about “bullying” and restrictions on freedom of speech. The latest meeting, held last Monday evening (10 October), degenerated into…
AS ratepayers get ready to vote for council candidates in this month’s council elections Neil Walker looks back at two years of turmoil between councillors at Frankston Council. FEB 2014: Cr Colin Hampton, a Labor Party member, claims then mayor Cr Darrel Taylor promised not to seek Liberal Party preselection if councillors supported his election as mayor in November 2013. Cr Taylor denies this. Mayors serve a 12-month term and are elected by a majority of fellow councillors. FEB 2014: A bid by Cr Hampton to force Cr Taylor to step down as mayor, alleging Cr Taylor would have a conflict…