From Monday night’s Council Meeting.
QUESTIONS TO OFFICERS
PENHALLURIACK: “I ask Mr Burke when allocations are likely to be made for the Koornang Park oval for the 2013 football season, and similarly for the main oval at Princes Park. Further, are the Caulfield Bears F.C. and the Ajax Seniors F.C. being considered for ground allocations at these grounds for the 2013 season? Finally will councillors be advised of the details of your considerations well in advance of the allocations being made, and given an opportunity to contribute from their local knowledge and experience in these matters before your decision is confirmed to the successful clubs.”
BURKE: Read out a prepared answer. He began by saying that 3 weeks ago there was a report to council about ground allocations for winter and that this involved over 200 teams and that ‘allocations need to be managed as a whole’ and that because of ground conditions ‘this may involve changes for a season’ and sometimes with ‘short notice….summer season is just getting underway’ and the winter allocations will be looked at in ‘late February 2013’. So, winter allocations ‘aren’t being considered at this time’ then ‘it follows’ that these clubs that Penhalluriack mentioned are also not being considered now. Allocations are ‘managed by the Recreation Department’ and ‘councillors have been advised on several occasions’ that the system used in Glen Eira is followed by other councils. He then went on and said that the Local Government Act ‘prohibits councillors’ from directing officers in carrying out their duties but that ‘there are no prohibitions on councillors commenting on’ anything and that ‘such comments will be welcomed’.
PENHALLURIACK: began with ‘the greatest respect to Mr Burke, he didn’t answer the question’ since he had asked for dates and that Burke had ‘skirted around the issues’ and included ‘generalities’ and that ‘he has not answered the question’.
HYAMS: said that Burke did say that allocations would be done in late February.
BURKE: ‘For the record I object to the term ‘skirting around’.
Glen Eira Debates 
September 27, 2012 at 9:22 AM
What a surprise. Burke skirting around an answer. Another surprise. A timely reminder to get lost or face a councillor conduct panel because all this is really trying to direct officers instead of acting on what residents and most sports clubs like. The biggest surprise is that finally councillors are being told to piss off in no uncertain terms and to butt out and mind their own business because we’re running the joint.
September 27, 2012 at 12:01 PM
If Councillors had a final say in ground allocations you might find it ended in open fighting between clubs and councillors. It has alway been a faceless council staffer that makes the decisions. It works.
September 27, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Bull!!! It doesn’t work – refer McKinnon Basketball and WarriorsBasketball, Ajax Football Community Day and Caulfield Bears. These are the most prominent and brought to residents attention because of the atrocious handling by the Admin (Burke). I’ll bet there are heaps more out there but the clubs are probably smaller and too scared to draw attention to plight because that’ll mean they’ll never get allocated grounds in Glen Eira
September 27, 2012 at 2:13 PM
It doesn’t work. So far Burke’s mistakes have cost us lawyers, ombudsmen getting involved and plenty of community outrage. This is all about who’s in control not what’s best for sporting groups within the city.
September 27, 2012 at 12:47 PM
To anonymous 2 above:
Its really not even about who makes the deciosions about allocations- its about transparency of the process, timeframes, hoew deciosn are made (eg Panel) and grievance/complaints process available to those clusbs which did not secure an allocation.
And that is what is missing in the way the GE Council currently makes allocations.
September 27, 2012 at 1:00 PM
Sold to the highest bidder in some cases so watch out Bears. Your junior club may be out on the street next season. This council talks community and then does the opposite. Give the people who are elected by the ratepayers some input. They know more about community than the highly paid officers.
September 27, 2012 at 6:32 PM
A significant problem with Council is that decisions made under delegated authority lack transparency. The officers involved don’t have to record their reasons or relate them to Council policy. In the rare circumstances that a VCAT Review can be requested [mostly Planning Permits], Council does have to think up some plausible reasons. That’s where creative spin comes in handy. A non-compliant application is instead described as having a “high level of compliance”, or “appropriate degree of fit” or appeal to non-existent “recent 4-storey developments in the immediate area” or rely on the egregious lie “well-served by public open space” or somehow characterise the decision and consequent loss of amenity as an “improvement and protection of neighbourhood character and amenity”. Officers further refuse to explain why waiving compliance is acceptable when its only to help one of their mates make more money. Sports ground allocation isn’t even subject to the same [limited] scrutiny, so if officers can abuse the lax environment provided by councillors concerning planning applications, the situation for clubs lacking influence and mates in high places is even more bleak. A new policy in which decisions made by delegated authority have to be documented and available for public scrutiny is required, or we’ll still be wallowing in smelly stuff in 4 years time.
September 27, 2012 at 10:56 PM
Frank at his bullying best. VCAT will soon be upon us.
September 28, 2012 at 3:22 PM
Frank doesn’t bully anyone. Only some weak kneed bastard would take is approach as bullying. You want to see bullying, join the army.
September 28, 2012 at 9:37 PM
Wa Wa Wa , Cr Penhalluriack is making me accountable, stop him Mr Newton.