The so called ‘consultation’ announcement went up on council’s website today together with the usual indecipherable ‘design’. What’s remarkable about this announcement is:
- The 2012/13 budget does not assign any funding to this project until years down the track – ie “$4m in 2017-2018 and $3.5m in 2018-2019”.
- Why then is public consultation being held now – 5 years at least before anything will be done?
Here is our interpretation of these events. You have a mock consultation and get council to ratify one particular (predetermined?) plan. It is then set in concrete regardless of the fact that a new council will be coming in next year which may have a different vision. The argument of course will be –“oh we’ve already got a master plan and spent so much money on this that we can’t really change things now”. This is typical administration tactics that we observe time and time again. The identical thing happened with the Caulfield Park Pavilion and Princes Park. Master plans sit there for at least a decade before anything happens.
Please note: we do not object to master plans per se. But when funding is not available for another 5 years at least, and this council is facing a major cash crisis, why has at least $60,000 (according to last year’s budget) been spent on a design that simply might be ‘old hat’ in 5 years time? What, after all, is the rush for a decision now when the money is simply not available? Why can’t the new council make such an important decision? Or is this just another means of hog-tying any recalcitrant new councillor?
Glen Eira Debates 
May 15, 2012 at 7:54 PM
Tip here for newcomers – don’t bother consulting with this current Council. They couldn’t even enforce an agreement with the MRC by 27 April 2012 deadline. Wait 12 months when there is a new Council and new administration.
May 15, 2012 at 8:46 PM
Good design does not become bad design in 5 years. Most schools have in place master plans so they can make submissins for funding. No one is going to look at funding anything that does not have a plan. Your summation is wrong. Public consulation is a requirement before a master plan is developed. The two project that you mentioned are now very useful community facilities. No master plan = no funding. You go on about governence all the time. You are not praciticing what you preach.
May 15, 2012 at 9:29 PM
It doesn’t take “good design” to become “bad design in 5 years”. Here it happens within 6 months! The car park extension at gesac for one. Don’t forget the Caulfield Park pavilion that meant ovals had to be re-aligned plus the paths. Don’t forget Packer Park either and the stupid petanque. Terrific design that one and useless to boot.
Residents for sure aren’t getting a return on the money spent on these monstrosities. Take a look at the budget and see how much is recouped for the millions wasted. These are edifices to egos and not well thought out improvements that the entire community benefits from.
And who says that master plans have to be done years and years ahead. Surely they can produce a plan and then start on it in the next 12 months. That leads onto the points made by the post. What’s the rush and when you’re cash strapped why spend all this money now? Even the SRP is done differently to other councils. Legislation requires a 4 year plan. Glen Eira is producing pipe dreams out until 2021/2. It’s all politics and power games in the end and making sure you don’t lose your grip on things. God help us if Newton is still there is all I can say!
May 15, 2012 at 9:08 PM
I think anon 1 makes more sense than anon 2. Don’t bother and it will send a message to Council that residents have given up just as Councillors have long given up on the residents.
May 15, 2012 at 10:10 PM
What happened to the first piece on this matter and the link to the three proposals? Not to mention my comments amongst others. 😡
May 15, 2012 at 10:37 PM
The links to the proposals and your comments feature in the previous post on Allegation #4. However, we will repeat the link again here –
http://www.gleneira.vic.gov.au/Page/Page.asp?Page_Id=2045
May 16, 2012 at 10:23 AM
Why have the presentation of plans at the mulch pit? Are Council trying to kill us? Would be much better to have it at the new Booran Rd park that was agreed to be built by 27 April 2012….oops that right, things move very s..l..o..w..l..y in Glen Eira.
May 16, 2012 at 1:18 PM
think wires might be crossed that Booran Road would be finished by April 27 2012. Think you are thinking of racecourse. I was wondering since it is unlikely to get funding for quite a while for a park could part of the site be used for a kindergarten. The carnegie kindergarten land was sold off and they were forced to go to Carnegie Primary school. This is only a stopgap meassure. Would this not be an ideal central location for such a facility. No where near the cost of the park.
May 16, 2012 at 1:39 PM
sorry to add to this the move to Carnegie Primary was done on codition that a suitable site for a permanent kindergarten would be found. How could this possibly happen if this land isnt determined suitable. An 800 sqm piece of land would cost a $1million
May 16, 2012 at 8:33 PM
No wires crossed here. The MRC/Glen Eira Council agreement stated that the centre of the racecourse, fencing and Booran/Glen Eira Rd park was to be completed by 27 April 2012. I would suggest you read it but Council has decided to remove it from their website. Very embarrassing!
May 17, 2012 at 9:20 AM
sorry talking about the reservoir in Booran Road. They cant finish the other park at the mad roundabout or replace the fences because they cannot build the concrete paths for the cars in the middle of the racecourse. How could you not see these are linked?
May 18, 2012 at 5:28 AM
Maybe Mr mrc fan club you could go and have a look in the I call it the “pip” of the racecourse, as it is now only about 13%, and you will see that everything is progressing very well!!! Drop a line soon to let me know if you like it or not.