The Glen Eira Residents’ Assoc. has a new post up which concentrates on the item that featured in both Leader newspapers this week – the sell off of the Alma Club. We think it is definitely worth a read.
It is also worthy of mention that apart from the mandatory figures provided in the Annual Budget on Open Space Contributions received from developers, residents know absolutely nothing about how this money is spent and what percentage is actually used to purchase new open space in the municipality. This is what the levy was set up to do. In Glen Eira however, we would wager that 95% is used to fund ‘facilities’ rather than the acquisition of open space as intended. For a municipality screaming out for open space this is a travesty.
But like everything else in Glen Eira, this is not a new issue. Searching the archives we find that in 2005 the following Request for Report was tabled at council meeting. We maintain that the answers to the questions asked are even more relevant today.
“Crs Marwick/Grossbard
That a report be provided before the next Council Meeting that gives;
1. The amount collected through open space levy categorised into postcodes from May 2003 to the present date, and
2. Details of where and how the levy has been spent.
The MOTION was put and CARRIED unanimously.”
Glen Eira Debates 
August 9, 2012 at 9:02 PM
Check out this comment from our Deputy Mayor Neil Pilling on Open Space in Glen Eira from his website and interesting lack of response from Neil to the one question asked.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Caulfield Racecourse centre -agreement approved
During the week there were several important decisions by Council including;
Caulfield Racecourse – use – item 9.12 Council Meeting Wed 27th April
The draft agreement between Council and the Melbourne Racing Club was approved ;
My speech in seconding the item;
This draft agreement I believe represents and provides for a solid foundation for the present and future improvement of the access, amenity and usage by the community of the racecourse centre.
Through this agreement, the MRC can no longer deny the wider community its due rights to share the racecourse on equal terms and should continue to engage and improve community involvement on the crown land it occupies and shares.
If adapted this agreement will be viewed in future years as a productive beginning not a culmination of that involvement. Our negotiating team have done a commendable job in brokering this agreement given the reality of being in the present negotiation process conducted between Council and the Melbourne Racing Club.
There will need to be ongoing co-operation between both parties to ensure that all aspects of this agreement are fulfilled and delivered- this will require the continued goodwill on both sides.
As well as the on-ground aspects, this agreement is a demonstration of good faith and a willingness to work together in delivering the better outcomes the agreement outlines. This approach should be encouraged.
The key features of the agreement are:
New Amenities – as the attached diagram shows the centre will be developed with five major usage areas namingly
-a bbq and picnic area including toilets and public parking
-lakeside fishing and boardwalk area
-fenced off-leash dog and agility exercise area
-grassed soccer and passive open recreation fields
-fitness and exercise zone including jogging/walking paths and on-leash dog walking
These are all significant advances on the current arrangements as are the following;
– Fencing removed – over a staggered timeframe the majority of the perimeter fencing around the racecourse will be removed including the entire Queen St frontage, noting that there is a willingness by the MRC to complete this large section sooner than the agreed five years.
– Community events – there will be four community events per annum staged in the centre – an important aspect of the agreement that will bring large numbers of residents into the racecourse and provide a sense of awareness and appreciation of the new facilities and the site in general.
– Parking – the parking arrangements which restrict parking in the centre on the whole to race and the ten major event days whilst acknowledging aren’t ideal are workable. I accept they were the best arrangements that could be agreed by both parties in the conducted negotiations.
– Improved public access – there will be better public access through the provision of a new separated walkway in the tunnel and also a pedestrian walkway opened up from Glenhuntly Park in Neerim rd – there will be unrestricted access to the entire centre from 930am on all available days.
-Funding – the MRC will pay for and fund all improvements except those on council land or will share costs where on boundaries ie Queens St fence removal.
-Timeline – all the improvements outlined in the agreement have been given reasonable definitive timeframes to be completed .
To reject this agreement as some of my collegues are urging would place at great risk the entire range of community benefits negotiated and also the future co-operation and the good-will advanced between parties to deliver these. This would be a retrograde step- a risk I am not prepared to take. This item is not about past history, personal crusades, personalities or individual grievences – its about delivering tangible real benefits now and continuing to do so whilst building upon these in the future years ahead.
As such I will be supporting this motion.
1 comment:
AnonymousApril 13, 2012 9:12 PM
Hi Neil,
As we approach 12 months since the signing of this agreement, it is probably worthwhile checking how things have progressed. Yes the MRC have had C60 ratified by the State Government and tenders have been decided for the construction but what about the promises to residents?
*******************(sound of crickets)***********************
August 10, 2012 at 8:40 PM
I find it offensive that Councillor Pilling refuses to respond to a question on his blog. What residents not good enough for you Neil? You are a poor representative of what is supposed to be a peoples party.
August 11, 2012 at 8:31 AM
the politics of envy are in play with the race track. Neil did the right thing.
August 9, 2012 at 9:36 PM
Don’t be too harsh on Pilling, he was one of four Councillors who approved C60. Would be nice though to get a full update at the next Council meeting.
August 9, 2012 at 10:06 PM
Hard not to be harsh on Pilling because as you say he was one of four councillors who approved C60 – he stood as a green and as a newbie councillor he should have reviewed the doco and assessed it – but he chose to pursue his own agenda instead (i.e. how to get elected to state or federal politics via local politics at the expense of residents he supposedly represented).
As for the full update at the next Council Meeting I suggest you don’t hold your breathe or if you do, at least call the ambulance before taking the last gasp.
August 11, 2012 at 8:28 AM
Neil is a genuine green Not a socialist trying to use the green bit to fool people. He has done a good job and will be re-elected.
August 11, 2012 at 11:03 PM
That may be, but Pilling needs to speak out more and be proactive than just supporting the gang. He more than any member of the gang needs to work hard and be responsive in Council if he has any hope of being elected. Tuesday’s council meeting would be a nice start.
August 10, 2012 at 6:50 AM
My wife calls councillor Neil Pilling “banana”. Green on the outside but yellow on the inside!
August 9, 2012 at 11:34 PM
The GERA post is an important analyses I think of how open space is regarded by the administrators of Glen Eira. Most business people with an ounce of common sense would jump at the idea of investing 3 million in return for an 8 to 10 million asset that could be used by the community. Instead of continually whining about the lack of open space in Glen Eira here was an opportunity to actually do something positive and still get some return on the money invested via leases or other mutually agreed upon terms. To dismiss the appeal out of hand as it appears happened is unforgiveable.
Hyams at the forums bleated about how much council has done to expand our open space. The examples were 2 house blocks in Packer Park and the Booran Road Reservoir. This latter site won’t be touched for another five years and the houses in Packer Park are in an existing park already. North Caulfield is hardest hit in terms of lack of open space. This was the chance of a lifetime and Newton and councillors fluffed it completely and in the process let down the community.
August 10, 2012 at 3:06 AM
Why worry parks are now a thing of the past for councillors who only holiday overseas and interstate! Why worry about all the serfs in their serfdom…who are too busy earning money to pay rates. Simply make the paths harder to land on when we climb into our two most recently nominated well wired parks
August 10, 2012 at 3:09 PM
I’ve just read Hyams response to the Alma Club – such arrogance and shame on Council for failing to have any vision for the future. It’s about time these folks started to back up their words with actions. I for one am getting heartily tired of listening to their promises only to find their actions are the exact opposite.
Definitely time for a change – this should be the last time this Council gets away with anything. Vote the B’s out
August 10, 2012 at 9:43 PM
Council’s Community Plan states
“The City of Glen Eira has the lowest amount of open space of any City in Melbourne and Council will actively seek new opportunities to increase and optimise open space for residents.”
However, there are no strategies specified about how this might be achieved other than –
“Council will advocate to the State Government to address the following recreational and open space needs of residents and ratepayers:
More open space for the City of Glen Eira”
Council have no history of “actively seeking new opportunities” and even when gifted open space (Booran Road Reservoir) they show no interest in making it available to the community. This smacks of extraordinary arrogance, negligence and disregard of community interests.
Not only have council not sought to acquire open space but have sold off land which could have been used – the former council depot in Neerim Road, the bowling club at Hopetoun Gardens and others.
Neither have they taken the opportunity to acquire space on the few occasions when it has become available.
I’m not sure that GERA have given us the full story – I find it very hard to believe that the Alma Club would sell $8million worth of land for $3million.
However, this may be the last opportunity council have to expand open space in Camden Ward (which has even less open space than the other wards) and should not be dismissed so flippantly.
August 11, 2012 at 8:59 AM
Actually Glen Huntly, GERA is correct in that the club is offering to sell the land to Council for $3m (the value of the mortgage) but Council has brushed them off.
The Club’s consitution contains complex rules re disbanding or relocating the club – the upshot is that the $8m will not do the club or it’s indivdual members much good. Also the Club wants to continue operating (albiet on a smaller scale) in it’s present location and believes it is financially viable to do so.
The Club is very much community focussed and knows what will happen if developers move in. Council’s actions with regards the club’s offer are disgraceful and totally at odds with their openspace claims and their claims of serving the residents
August 11, 2012 at 12:56 PM
Thanks for that confirmation Alma Member.
That just makes council’s position even more scandalous.
Any pretence they might have had of doing anything about open space in Glen Eira has been shown up for the sham that it is.
August 13, 2012 at 11:27 PM
Glen Eira Council doesn’t want open space and if it comes by some it is either concreted, bitumenised for car parks, built on with enormous boulding on large footprints, wired off to for weeds or sold to developers.
The speaking of developers they are not charged the open space levy and not discouraged when they take control of our footpaths,