Tuesday night’s agenda is definitely geared towards a ‘feel good’ session. We have the Arts & Culture strategy, the Disability strategy and finally the report on River Red Gum maintenance in Glen Eira. Never mind of course that it doesn’t include all the trees that Sounness identified in his Request for a Report. Also, the promised and re-promised tabling of the draft Local Law for May, is still a no show. There are however a few items of interest.
COMMUNITY CONSULTATION COMMITTEE
No community reps were present. In fact, it looks like the 3 sitting reps may have been given the boot since the committee has decided to advertise via expressions of interest and to ‘inform’ current members. It will be fascinating to see if any of the current sitting members re-apply and whether they are given the nod. If not, then will they be given any plausible reason for their ‘departure’?
Delahunty has been ordained as Chairperson, but only after a split vote with Hyams. Here’s what we’re told – Director Community Services called for nominations. Cr Esakoff nominated Cr Hyams; Cr Lobo nominated Dr Delahunty. Following acceptance of nominations a vote was held and the voting was tied. After further discussion it was agreed Councillor Mary Delahunty be appointed as Committee Chairperson, and agreed in principle that the chair would rotate to Cr Hyams after a year
If this isn’t pre-empting a council decision on who will sit on which committees, then we don’t know what is!
Also noteworthy is the ‘review’ of the Engagement Strategy and the stated intent to investigate methodology and VLGA ‘principles’. We wait with bated breath!
PLANNING ZONE REFORMS
Whereas other councils (Whitehorse, Stonnington, Bayside) keep publishing updates on their progress with the Planning Zone Reforms and the likely impact on their municipalities, all residents in Glen Eira get to know is the occasional throw away line in the Records of Assembly. For example:
Cr Okotel – can the MAV assist Councils to understand the new planning zones
Cr – Okotel – new planning zones
Workshop – new planning zones
We remind readers that these new zones come into operation on July 1st 2013 and Councils have 1 year to ‘adapt’. Within this year other councils are completing or undertaking their Housing Strategy & Neighbourhood Reviews. Glen Eira, we fear, is quite willing to rely on its antiquated data and suspect policies. More importantly, why have residents not been provided with any information since the release of council’s response?
AMENDMENTS
We must take some credit for the following VCAT Watch item. It concerns a decision where council argued that its yet to be advertised Transition Zone Policy should be considered in the application. We took them to task for arguing for something that doesn’t exist as did the member in his decision. In Quarterly Reports we’ve been told that this amendment is ‘on hold’ until the zone reforms come in. Now we’re told – Councillors will recall that the Minister for Planning refused Council’s request for authorisation to place Amendment C90 on public exhibition.
Why we ask? Why wasn’t this information forthcoming at the time with reasons clearly explained? Why argue for this at VCAT when it is KNOWN that the amendment as it stands can’t get to first base? Why can’t residents be told the truth right from the start and, in fact, what is the truth?
PS: please also note that the tree labelled as River Red Gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis at Duncan McKinnon plus the very nice photograph (n0 6.) does not exist anymore! IT WAS CHOPPED DOWN EARLIER THIS YEAR. So much for the accuracy, comprehensiveness and full disclosure of this report!
Glen Eira Debates 
May 17, 2013 at 5:24 PM
Betyas that Hyams is wishing like hell that his buddy Lipshutz was on the committee to – he’d have the numbers then. Tough luck Jamie. Ya shoulda tossed the coin again.
May 17, 2013 at 8:18 PM
These councillors haven’t learnt a single thing about governance or they don’t give a stuff. Annointing Hyams for the following year is proof of this.
May 17, 2013 at 8:21 PM
If the council conducts consultation meetings you will find no more than a dozen people will turn up. Cr. Delahunty will fill the room with some of her mates and try and get some radical policy up. Like Council opening more child minding facilities. It will be a waste of staff time. The VLGA is a collection of desparates all kidding each other. Most of them are straight up socialists.
May 17, 2013 at 8:54 PM
Good on Lobo! for doing the right thing in proposing and voting for Delahunty to ordain her as a Chair of the Community Consultation. Delahunty will shake up this committe and clean the dirty linen in the public view in the gallery and outside. She is no Ex Mayor Helen Whiteside. . Not surprising at all that Esakoff voted for Hyams! They both support each other immeterial of what the issue is.
Rumours are that Delahunty questions every motive of the gang with her hawks eye and sharp brain. The other two new councillors -Okotel – who apparently is a lawyer still continuous to be naive and cannot see as she is blinded by Esakoff. Esakoff has new friendship with Okotel as before in the first term her buddy was Pilling. Wake up Okotel to see the light.
Another new Councillor, Thomas Sounness appears to be a quick learner but has to attain Delahunty’s calibre to see through and through. He will catch up with Delahunty; hopefully soon.The gang will dangle their carrots towards both new Councillors. Find out the history from others not necessarily from your collegues.
May 17, 2013 at 10:45 PM
Anonymous 3 – You very much sound like Hyams or Esakoff or her relatives. I betya it’s Hyams or more possibility one of the liberals friends whom he will do anything to get them re-elected. (MODERATORS: sentence deleted) Known him for 11 years. I used to vote for him until 2008. He will promise you the world come election time when he begs people to stand on the booths to distribute his
election material. Since he has been the Mayor (by toss of the coin) he has been responding to letters from residents in a nasty and a ‘I am right’ manner.
May 19, 2013 at 9:27 AM
Your problem is the same as Cr. Delahunty’s . No knowing what you don’t know. I didn’t mention Hyams. You obviously have some grievance regarding Hyams. Delahunty’s goal is to get her name in the paper. The end outcome of consultations is of no consequence. We elect councillors to make decisions not half a room full of residents claiming to represent the views of 130,000 people.
May 20, 2013 at 10:41 AM
There are myriad problems with how our Council is functioning—lack of transparency; carelessness with facts; reluctance to be accountable for its decisions and consequences; minimal scrutiny of the use of delegated powers; rejection of most of the principles contained in the Councillor Code of Conduct are just some. Only in a very narrow sense are councillors elected to make decisions for us: they are there to represent us, and that includes making the decisions that we would make if we were in their position with access to the information that they have. Consultation is a tool to ensure decisions and policies bear some resemblance to the views of the wider community. While decisions will often be difficult due to each having advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses, pros and cons, it would be impossible for Council to fulfil its role if the decisions were made in isolation to the views of the people they putatively represent.
May 17, 2013 at 11:42 PM
When the community consultation committee was established its stated role was to be at the apex of consultation with the community. I interpret this to mean that its role is pivotal in all consultations, and not just the now repeated and unchanged community plan. The committee has been dormant I think for nearly a year. There wasn’t even the courtesy of informing the representatives that a meeting was being held I’m assuming. Like so much that has happened before all the promises of reform will founder because the intention under this administration and its conforming councillor group is to ignore community views and aspirations. That has been the single and most stark characteristic under Newton and his lieutenants. If it were not so, then this committee would have been alive and active throughout the open space planning stage and would certainly have a major role in the zoning reforms. Council is very good at mouthing the appropriate slogans, cliches, and motherhood statements. Their actions however belie every single word that they have ever published.
May 18, 2013 at 5:11 PM
D. Evans – It was Lipshultz who was in the Community Consultation Committee last year that hampered the progress of Community Consultation. One has to only listen to his aggressive statements in Council meetings and his criticism of ex Mayor Helen Whiteside and Cr Frank Penhullariack in the newspaper. He attacks those who go against him and his gang and plays favourites when decision making takes place. (MODERATORS: sentence deleted) Lipshultz is against consultation and very much likes no transperancy.
Delahunty will hopefully make a turnaround of the policy governing Community Consultation. Delahunty, the people who voted for you know that you will expose the gang. Take your other councillors in your confidence as residents know, one cannot go against the gang alone, as was the case with Whiteside and Penhullariak. You are mostly voted in by non-Jewish residents of Camden Ward.
May 19, 2013 at 7:26 PM
Dr Delahunty, the gang predominantly represents (MODERATORS: rest of sentence deleted). You and the other non gang members will hopefully represent who voted you in and our needs. You can see through them and you can make a difference, make them accountable and transparent. Don’t let Whiteside and Penhalluriacks efforts go down the drain.