A previous post commented on the upcoming delegations to officers, paying particular attention to the ‘Conditions and Limitations’ under the Planning and Environment Act. We noted the fact that in Glen Eira the Planning Committee is NOT a special committee; that there is no official ‘councillor call in’, nor does the Planning Committee consist of councillors as community reps. In our municipality power is wielded by unelected officers as outlined in this council description of what the Delegated Planning Committee is. As a further means of comparison, we’ve uploaded the current Stonnington ‘Planning Delegation Guidelines’ . Apart from the differences in composition, and the limitations on the powers of the committee, the fact that this document is freely available online, again stands in stark contrast to the practices of Glen Eira.
Stonnington is not alone in providing its residents with policy manuals and information as to the protocols under which a variety of services operate. Kingston, for example, has a complete listing of all its protocols and guidelines online. We challenge readers to locate any similar documents on the Glen Eira website – assuming of course, that they even exist!
Glen Eira Debates 
January 26, 2011 at 6:28 PM
machiavelli would be oh so proud of Newton and his cohorts. Slowly, slowly, slowly you strip all power away from councillors – under the guise of ‘governance’ and legalities. Then you keep them so busy with reams and reams of paper that they’re sinking under the pressure. Next step is to include the really important stuff almost subliminally within this mass of verbage. That way it gets through without question and without real scrutiny. Abracadabra – you’ve set up the conditions under which you have power and councillors – those silly, silly people – have granted you everything you want. The final nail in the coffin is to make sure that you employ only loyal and diligent yes men who will carry out your orders to a tee. Clever, simple and effective. You can even turn three municipal investigations, where you’ve escaped scot free, to your advantage. It becomes the hammer that you continually hit recalcitrant councillors over the head with so they’re pulled into line with all those nice legalities. As for residents? Who the hell are they? Mere gnats that are easily disposed of. That’s the history of Glen eira under Newton.
January 26, 2011 at 7:26 PM
Hey anonymous – Newton can’t be blamed for all of this. Our lousy lousy bunch of councillors over the years handed him this power. The likes of Erlich, Kennedy, Martens, to name but a few, have much to answer for. This lot and the gang of four in particular have even more to answer for. They aren’t first up councillors. esakoff has been around for centuries as has tang, hyams and lipshits. Sack them all and let real democracy return to glen eira
January 27, 2011 at 12:14 PM
Erlich Kennedy and Martens. Fond memories of great Councillors and excellent leaders as Mayors. Wish they were still in. At least we wouldn’t have had the stupid pool development.
January 27, 2011 at 7:18 PM
I don’t think we need councillors at all. My sums tell me that it costs us about half a million dollars a year to pay councillors and that doesn’t include things like phones and computers, and all they do is hand over all control to a bunch of peanut counters who may or may not be competent at what they’re doing. As it stands, I’ve no way of judging their competence since nothing is ever disclosed.
What I do see is heaps of money going down the drain and noone checking up if the work has been done properly. My street was just repaved after being repaved last year. Because noone was informed cars were parked there, so the workers left a huge unpaved section and came back again a couple of days later. councillors are doing nothing about this and those who order such works are not accountable to me and the other ratepayers. A hopeless situation. Either the work wasn’t done properly in the first place or someone is on a good wicket doing unnecessary work and getting a nice little contract because there’s no way that a street needs repaving in 12 months if a good job was done right off.
January 28, 2011 at 10:39 AM
Reading the documents that Glen Eira has put up with the post is really informative. It reveals the most important difference between this council and others – Newton’s machinations and the stupidity of past and current councillors.
January 28, 2011 at 11:33 AM
Glen Eira is one of the most liveable and desirable Municipalities in Australia.If you think it is that bad get out and make way for the many who desire to live in our City.
January 28, 2011 at 3:30 PM
We would all agree to that, hence why we all live here. But imagine how much better it would be if the community (including councillors) had a say in matters in Glen Eira, if public land was not being sold off and replaced with 23 storey towers and if one of the greatest areas of public space in Caulfield Racecourse was truely available for the community – then we really will live in the most desirable municipality in Australia.
January 28, 2011 at 4:23 PM
you’ve got to be joking don’t you! Council has got absolutely nothing to do with schools in the area, price of housing, transport routes, and the general socio-economic status of the area. All newton is in charge of is rubbish collection and budgets, which he’s loused up time and time again.