In allowing officers to exercise full control over sensitive and community oriented issues such as sporting ground allocations, councillors have now found themselves literally between a rock and a hard place – do they support the community or the questionable decision making capacity of officers under delegation? First there was, and continues to be, the farce of the GESAC basketball allocations which resulted in ratepayer funds being wasted on legal advice upon legal advice, and the issue dragging on for 6 months or so. Now we have another instance of dictatorial decision making by the Sports Department (Linda Smith and her master Paul Burke) in their refusal to allow the Ajax footy club to hold a community event to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the junior footy club on September 1st.
The outcome is a lengthy so called ‘report’ appearing in this week’s agenda. Once again, it does not bear any officer’s name and basically seeks to justify the decision to deny Ajax the opportunity to celebrate this anniversary via dissembling, half truths and selective publication of correspondence. We’ve uploaded the report for all to read.
A few salient points need to be made regarding this ‘report’.
- Much is made of seasonal allocation to sporting clubs and the need to submit an expression of interest each year for ground allocations. We question the mentality and efficacy of such a system. Surely all sporting clubs need more than a year’s notice to ensure the growth of their clubs and to facilitate proper planning? Contracts are surely written with caveats that would allow the suspension of leases because of anti-social behaviour so this shouldn’t be an issue?
- Allegations were made at last council meeting that grounds are not for sale to the ‘highest bidder’. Ajax is now accused of entering into a private arrangement with the Caulfield Bears for a ground swap and a financial ‘incentive’ to improve the pavilion facilities. The report states that this disadvantages other clubs and that all pavilion redevelopments are funded by Council. Funnily enough, Council did not seem to have any problems in accepting close to $1,000,000 from Maccabi in order to allow this group to build the Leo Haskin Tennis Pavilion and associated courts. In fact, Maccabi proudly writes –
“Maccabi Victoria Sports Foundation oversaw the fundraising, planning and construction of the Leon Haskin Tennis Centre which opened in February 2008. This state-of-the-art home for the Maccabi Tennis Club features eight Plexicushion courts, a Pavilion and Club Room, providing a fantastic venue which will be a magnet for Jewish tennis players, and will serve the wider Maccabi community and the local community for many years.”
http://www.maccabi.com.au/VIC/Page/259/Sports-and-Social-Facilities.cfm
- The report also goes to great lengths to drag up ancient history on the Caulfield Bears – going as far back as 1999. Apart from being totally irrelevant to what is happening today with this club, and the issue of a community event for one, single day, we just have to wonder: if the club has really been as bad as all this, then why has their tenancy been renewed year after year? Why haven’t they simply been chucked out?
There’s much more that could be said about this report. At the heart of this issue is the question of control. What stands out clearly is that the biggest crime committed by Ajax and the Caulfield Bears is the fact that they got together and worked out a mutually beneficial agreement to the exclusion of the power brokers. God forbid that clubs should be talking to each other and actually sidelining the bureaucrats. That is the ultimate threat to their power base.
We end with this letter received from Ajax which logically and sensibly reveals how slanted and totally irrelevant the officer’s report really is. Councillors, through their temerity and continued blind support of officers, show again and again how they fail to represent their constituents.
“Dear Councillors,
I have read the report supplied by the Council Officers in response to a previous request from an earlier Council Meeting.
Council at its last meeting was considering the reasons for rejection of the request for a Community Day-and the fact that those reasons were not relevant to the actual request for a one day use/hire of a public facility.(Paul Burke’s letter of 27/6/2012)
The Council then requested a report on:
1. The activities or functions that may be displaced by a Community Day, including senior football, being held at Princes Park on September 1,2012
I wish to make the following comments , so that you all have the opportunity to consider both sides, before you make an informed decision whether to allow the AJAX Football Club’s request or reject it.
I will restrict my comments to the only relevant matter- Ajax Football Club’s request to hold a Community Day,at Princes Park, including 2 games of VAFA senior AJAX football to celebrate the 40 years of the existence of the AJAX jnr Football Club, which is a tenant at that facility.
The Officers’ report begins with comments about the facilities at Princes Park-and elsewhere.ie the general aspects of open public space within the Glen Eira Municipality.
We agree that the upgrade of facilities at Princes Park are fantastic, and were done to allow football to be played there.
The Council’s own web site encourages the use and hiring by the public and sporting clubs, of Council-owned Public open spaces and parks-including Princes Park.
Local Parks
No matter what your age, our parks and reserves have something for everyone.
There are plenty of reasons to be out in one of the 67 parks in the municipality — from wide open spaces to shady hollows and playgrounds of all shapes and sizes to attract the young to barbecues that provide a meeting point for families and walking tracks for the more energetic.
Enjoy the flowers, marvel over the exotic trees, relax in a delightful rotunda or simply enjoy the fresh air.
With so much on offer, the recreation opportunities in Glen Eira are almost limitless. Take a look at these great parks and reserves.
The fact that the applicant is a tenant at Albert Park is irrelevant to the request to use/hire Princes Park for one day.Glen Eira Council allow anyone to hire public facilities. (our emphases)
The report then refers to an Agreement between Caulfield Bears and AJAX and then spends several pages on Caulfield Bears/Koornang Park/liquor licences etc etc
There is a financial agreement between two football clubs One is the Ajax Senior Football Club Inc (“Ajax Seniors”). It has ground allocations at Albert Park, owned by the State Government, and located within the municipality of Port Phillip ……………………………
The agreement would appear to constitute a contingent liability on the part of one club and a contingent asset on the part of the other club and would need to be reflected in the clubs’ financial statements from the time that the agreement came into effect.
There are several other comments made in the report about the Agreement.But Council Officers have not seen the Agreement and it has nothing to do with the request to have a Community Day on 1/9/2012.There is no “contingent asset nor liability” and it is in fact totally irrelevant to the issue currently at hand for Councillors consideration and determination. (our emphases)
The Officers make many implications and assertions that are wrong and irrelevant about the Agreement.The Officers admit they have never seen the said Agreement.So it is wrong for Officers to make comments about an Agreement that :
1-they have not seen
2-that is irrelevant to the request for senior footy to be played on 1/9/2012.
It is critical that Council only considers the relevant matters as regards to 1/9/2012 and a Community Day with senior footy on Princes Park-on one day.Nothing else is at all relevant.Any Agreement between 3rd parties that do not concern Council I believe should not be raised at all nor considered.The officers’ report finally correctly states that the Agreement has no effect on Council processes and decisions.So why is it raised at all? (our emphases)
Princes Park is owned and controlled by Glen Eira Council for the general public.This Community Day request is not about seasonal ground allocations-this request is to have a one day community event to celebrate the 40 year anniversary of the AJAX junior football club, which is in fact a tenant of the Glen Eira Council at Princes Park.The AJAX junior players would have the best possible opportunity to see their senior teams play competitive footy at their own “home” ground on a Saturday, and they could aspire to play for that same club in future years.It is policy of Council to support and encourage junior and senior teams where possible to play from same ground to encourage that pathway.
The report rightly concludes:
5. Recommendations
That Council note that a financial agreement between a Glen Eira based club and a non-Glen Eira based club has not had any effect on Council’s systems of allocation of grounds or improvements to pavilions
So the Agreement does not effect Council’s allocations, systems and decisions.So the Agreement should be totally ignored.
In fact the report clearly does not set out ANY…..
……. activities or functions that may be displaced by a Community Day, including senior football, being held at Princes Park on September 1,2012
There are no activities nor functions displaced by the AJAX Football Club Community day on 1/9/2012 at Princes Park.The Council officers’ own report clearly answers the specific request by Councillors from the previous Council meeting.There are no reasons to reject the request for a Community Day.
So the request should not be rejected nor denied.In fact it should be actively encouraged and supported by Council.
Hence the only fair and reasonable conclusion is that the request to hold a Community Day on 1/9/2012 including 2 senior AJAX Football Club VAFA games should be allowed as no other Club, activity nor functions is displaced-on that day.In fact the majority of the local community would support and encourage this Community Day. (our emphases)
The fact that the proposed game is currently scheduled at Albert Park is irrelevant . Anyone can hire the open public spaces in Glen Eira.
AJAX jnr. Football Club is a tenant of Princes Park.
AJAX jnr.Football Club is celebrating 40 years since it began.
AJAX Football Club is the only Jewish football club.
A large proportion of rate payers in Glen Eira Municipality are Jewish and keenly follow the AJAX football club where their children, family, friends play footy.
The Jewish Orthodox community could walk to the game on Saturday.They can not do that at Albert Park.
The Council encourages the use and hiring of Public open space by any persons-there are no restrictions on hiring of open space for events and functions.There should be no discrimination.
This would be an event that the Jewish community would fully support.The Councillors would be seen by the voting community in a very positive way as Council would be facilitating the use of a state of the art facility, built and improved at substantial public expense for the specific use-football.
No one else is effected.no other activity or function is displaced.
The South Caulfield Cricket club does not need the centre pitch to Mid-October.There is ample time to have ground ready for the cricket season allocation.
This is a simple and straightforward request to celebrate a milestone event-40th anniversary of a tenanted club- on one day that does not effect anyone else.No one is displaced nor disadvantaged.It would be a great and memorable event for the Glen Eira Council.The Council would be paid for hiring of the facility.
We would ensure the facilities are properly cleaned after the event.
The Council web site sets out the guiding values.
Our Organisation
Our guiding values
Community focused, responsive and inclusive
We work to develop a tolerant and caring community, where everyone can feel they belong and participate in the decision-making that leads to achieving the best possible health, safety and lifestyle options within the City.
Accountable and relevant leadership
We consult, listen, and take note of community views to determine its priorities and needs and then acts through open, transparent processes that are financially and environmentally responsible and sustainable. We constantly work to find innovative ways of providing services measured against recognised benchmarks to improve services and set improved standards that will meet tomorrow’s increasing demands.
Community wellbeing
Glen Eira City Council, with an increasingly diverse community, treats all people with respect and dignity, providing equal access for all to services and resources. We operate to identify gaps and lift standards, currently not being met by other community providers or levels of government, within the constraints of its limited resources.
I hope and expect the Council will agree to approve the request as it would be consistent with, the Report provided by the Council Officers, and with the general policies of Council.
If any of the Councillors would like to meet with me to further discuss any matters about this request I am available to come to Council Chambers at mutually convenient times.
Thank you for taking the time to consider both sides.
Yours sincerely,
Glen Eira Debates 
July 22, 2012 at 11:25 PM
Congratulations to councillors. In their 4 years they have done a fantastic job in alienating people. First with the c60 atrocity, then the centre of the racecourse, the McKinnon basketballers and now most of the Jewish community with this latest rubbish. They should be asking themselves whether Newton and Burke are worth all this condemnation and their jobs.
July 23, 2012 at 9:46 AM
If anyone wants som cuttings there is now a ‘lovely’ hedge of deadly nightshade at the corner of Normandy and Queens Avenue. Keep up your maintenance efforts MRC. Notice the greenery along Queens Avenue is now full of lots of weeds and weed trees. Bit of rubbish thrown into the mix. Good work by the council there. Should have been a bike path at least we wouldnt have the weeds.
July 23, 2012 at 12:46 PM
What has happened with the racecourse agreement on improvements to the centre of the racecourse and removal of sections of fencing that Councillors Lipshutz, Hyams, Esakoff and Pilling signed along with the Melbourne Racing Club? Nothing is happening and no news forthcoming. It was supposed to be completed months ago. You wouldn’t know this was an election year!
July 23, 2012 at 10:16 AM
Anyone who reads the two officers reports (flagpole and a one day footy match) included in the agenda has to scratch their head and wonder just who is running Glen Eira.
The flagpole report requests clearly asks for options and costs yet last the line of the report states “Officer’s would be happy to cost the options once Councillors have indicated what option or options they support”. This is the second time the Administration has deliberately failed to provide the info requested on the flagpoles – this would not be tolerated in the private sector and should not be tolerated in the public sector.
As for the footy match, what an appalling piece of unsigned cr*p. The requested report asked for three things
. the activities that would be displaced by the proposed Community Day by the Ajax Senior Football Club
. the sporting ground allocations to Bears Football Club and the Carnegie Cricket Club in 2011/2012
. details of any arrangement between the Ajax Senior Football Club and the Caulfield Bears.
What’s the recommendation of the report –
. that an agreement between two clubs (one Glen Eira based, the other not Glen Eira based) has had no impact on the allocation of sporting grounds
. that Council is writing to clubs advising them that an audit of liquor licenses is occurring.
How did this major slide away from the original request occur via –
– the over use of “apparently” when discussing details of the supposed agreement
– the heavy empasis on the totally irrelevant (eg. the Bears questionable behaviour, the fact that the Ajax Senior’s which is not Glen Eira based made the request for the community day rather than the Ajax Juniors which is Glen Eira based.)
If Councillors don’t send this substandard report back, then they simply don’t deserve to be Councillors.
July 23, 2012 at 11:42 AM
You forgot to mention the report on the trial reconfiguration of the Kooyong Road and Alma Road intersection – should become a case study in how to ignore residents.
Many many complaints over the 6 month trial that culminated in a petition presented at the last Council meeting – now here they are ramroading this aberration through without any attempt to discuss it with residents of this particular intersection or other intersections which will be similarly reconfigured. Doesn’t even identify those intersections which will be reconfigured.
July 23, 2012 at 4:28 PM
I don’t know about the football stuff but the flagpole is simply Cr.Lobo trying to get his name in the paper.He is trying to get elected in October. He needs more than fridge magnets. The staff have seen this all before and are looking after the interest of 99.99999% of the residents.Goodon them.
July 23, 2012 at 5:55 PM
I admit the flagpole by itself is trivial – yes it has been raised before (so trot out the old report and update the costs) and yes it is Lobo electioneering.
BUT Anon and it’s a big but – Councillor’s agreed with Lobo and rejected the first report. The Administration reports to Council and is bound to provide the information requested. So where the f*ck is it. The Senior Admin should be sacked for allowing this to happen.
July 23, 2012 at 10:50 AM
There’s a desperate need for some severe docking of the dog’s tail. It’s been merrily wagging for too long at the expense of residents. This is another example and if allowed to continue then there is no need for councillors whatsoever – let’s have a council run by the unelected but clearly stated as such. At least this would be more honest than what’s been happening for ages now.
July 23, 2012 at 11:37 AM
Burke’s feeling the heat. The report is the biggest load of crap that’s ever been produced. Three strikes and you’re out Burkey. One more to go and then good riddance.
July 23, 2012 at 2:22 PM
The latest Community Plan promised to include all council policies on its website. Needless to say this has never happened, and nor has it happened now with the launch of the new site. In relation to the issue of sporting ground allocations we do not remember any document ever appearing on the council’s website which could be equated with official “policy”. Other councils of course have no such qualms in publishing their sporting grounds allocation policy, including the precise criteria against which all applications will be judged. The same old perennial problem of secrecy continues to exist in Glen Eira.k Policies are kept under wraps so that very few know what the actual criteria might be (and this would include councillors one presumes). In this manner decisions are made without transparency and accountability.
We’ve done a veryj rapid search and come up with the following councils who publish their policies online for the entire world to see. There are probably many more who publish such documents – but this is a start. Residents are again invited to compare and contrast and ask the basic question of how long our councillors will allow these practices to go on and on and on?
Click to access 14457%20Sporting%20Reserves%20Allocation%20Policy%202011-2014.pdf
http://www.moreland.vic.gov.au/about-council/publications/home_policies-and-strategies.html?s=588319982
http://www.kingston.vic.gov.au/page/Download.asp?name=SPORTING_GROUND_ALLOCATION_POLICY98.doc&size=343042&link=../Files/SPORTING_GROUND_ALLOCATION_POLICY98.doc
http://www.kingston.vic.gov.au/page/Download.asp?name=SPORTING_GROUND_ALLOCATION_POLICY98.doc&size=343042&link=../Files/SPORTING_GROUND_ALLOCATION_POLICY98.doc
July 23, 2012 at 4:41 PM
The three criteria that were released on assigning the basketball courts all were tied up with fees and income. The links above and the criteria they specify have nothing to do with income. I think this says a lot about the ad hoc manner in which sporting allocations are made. With no published assessment criteria then it’s all left in the hands of Mr Burke and his staff. Councillors are left out in the cold and even the clubs themselves since they do not know why or how they were rejected and as a result have no legitimate grounds of appeal.
I think the post is absolutely correct in its claims that this is all about maintaining power over groups in the community by the administration. It lacks transparency and therefore is continually open to abuse.
July 23, 2012 at 5:17 PM
Councillors aren’t a protected species. They’re open to criticism. The same should hold for officers. They are far from perfect and deserve all they cop when they go wrong.
July 23, 2012 at 6:02 PM
A simple warning to this Councillor group. The advice given to you by your Officers is as usual spot on.Should you vary from this Report you will be finished, and an Administrator appointed for a lengthy period. Don’t listen to fools like Glen Eira who couldn’t give a stuff about you.
July 23, 2012 at 6:40 PM
Noely poley, give up will ya! or are ya getting paid for this crap?
July 23, 2012 at 10:15 PM
Just exactly what is spot on Anon? From what I can see it is business as usual – ie Admin goals rather than residents goals that is supported in these substandard reports. Your advice to Crs. that the moderators of this website don’t give a stuff about you is absolutely right – just what else can you expect when time and time again the elected have cowtowed to the Admin and failed to represent the residents.
This website provides an opportunity for residents to express their opinions, something which Councill proclaims to do but never actually does. To advise Councillor’s to keep following the path of ignoring residents and following the Admin is akin to advising them to commit hari kari.
Keep up your comments Anon, they are invaluable in leading to the overdue demise of this current lot
July 23, 2012 at 8:55 PM
Why is the violin “Jewish” line constantly played here, who cares what religion you might be affiliated with, base the decision on facts alone not religious beliefs. Glen Eira assets are for the whole community not just the Jewish community. They got caught out and admitted in their own words they were playing to the Jewish sympathy/multicultural thingy. Looks like the only community being discriminated against here is the wider community.
MODERATORS: sadly, you appear to be the only commentator playing the violin. This issue is NOT about religion, ethnicity. It is about the culture of an organisation and the question of whether councillors are performing their legally mandated duty to oversee the work of their hired help – ie officers – to ensure that it benefits the entire community.
July 23, 2012 at 10:49 PM
The reference to Brimbank in the report is outrageous. There is no similarity which no doubt the author of this devious piece of work knows. But that didn’t stop him from putting it in. In Brimbank a contract had already been awarded and the budget for pavilion upgrades passed by the council. Then there was the change of heart by the ruling faction when they ordered the CEO to rescind the contract and fund another pavilion. This hasn’t got anything to do with Ajax, the Bears and a community event. It’s about ground allocations for one day and not about contracts, budgets, or anything else. It’s scare mongering and playing the heavy as is the norm for certain people in this place.
July 24, 2012 at 8:03 AM
Agreed. Equally outrageous is the spin of the best maintained parks reference – not even remotely related to the issue but Burke (a.k.a. the spin junkie) just couldn’t resist. I bet he is p*ssed that even he couldn’t include in the other pathetic reports
July 24, 2012 at 9:32 AM
I cannot beieve that you fools would advocate the behavior of the Club buying use of facilities.
July 24, 2012 at 10:46 AM
I agree if any other club apart from Ajax or Maccabi tried this audacious stunt they would be crucified.