There are some very interesting public questions as well as a few other events from Tuesday night’s meeting that are worthy of highlighting. First the public question on the Racecourse:
“At council meetings I note reports are frequently given by representatives who attend other bodies such as the MAV on behalf of council and reports are given. This being the case why do our three representatives on the Caulfield Racecourse Trustees never give a report, because it is absolutely impossible to find out what is going on in the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve. Do the Glen Eira Council Trustees realise that their residents are actually never granted permission to attend a CRT MEETING although this is advertised as being possible on The City of Glen Eira website as being the case? Is council prepared to take any action to ensure that the entrance to our reserve from Glen Eira Road is made to be more welcoming?
Or is council prepared to have the entrance pathway sealed and cleaned so that wheelchairs and prams do not collect horse excreta over the tyres and what action can be taken to remove the barrier at the eastern end of the pathway. A person in a wheelchair would have to reverse all the way to get out if unable to remove the barrier when in their wheelchair. This barrier has been in place for quite some time.
Could our representatives on CRT walk on this path and into the park and assess the situation in detail rather than speed through by car? Council came to a decision with the Melbourne Racing Club regarding this entrance issue and once again it seems the non-racing public has come off with a very bad result as it is being currently administered. Can our three trustees move to improve the situation for all residents of Glen Eira even those travelling in wheel chairs and pushing prams?”
The Mayor read the response on behalf of the Councillors who are appointed as Trustees to the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust. He said:
“Thank you for your questions.
1. The premise in your first question however is not correct. Whereas there are Council representatives on various committees and bodies representing the views and interests of the Council – hence reports are made to and received by Council – that is not the case with the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust.
Council is requested by the State Government to nominate Councillors to be appointed as Trustees. Council nominated 6 Councillors and it was the State Government that then appointed the Trustees. The three Councillors who are Trustees do not sit on the Trust as Council representatives per se but as Trustees. Any enquiries about the deliberations of the Trust should be directed to the Trust or to its chairperson, Mr Greg Sword.
2. We are aware that to date residents have not been granted permission to address the Trust. The decision as to whether a non-Trustee may address the Trust is determined by a majority of the Trustees. Council has advocated for the Trust to be more open and transparent, and will continue to do so.
3. Council has advocated for some time and continues to advocate that the tunnel entrance from Glen Eira Road be more welcoming and accessible to the public. It is for the Trust however to ensure that the entrance is clean and not for Council.
4. As Trustees we will certainly be raising with the Trust the issues to which you refer.”
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The in camera report contains the following:
Crs Lipshutz/Delahunty
That Council
i) Rescind its 18 December 2012 resolution to appoint Green Home Green Planet Pty Ltd, ACN 137 823 360 as the contractor under EOI number 2013.030
Two points bear making here:
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The Local Law does not have provision for rescinding motions as we’ve stated numerous times
- This council appears to make its own rules as it goes along and when it suits. For example the recent resolution to enter into further ‘community consultation’ regarding the Caulfield Park Conservatory was made WITHOUT rescinding a previous motion that the conservatory be ‘restored’ and ‘redeveloped’.
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Finally, there is this Request for a Report regarding the ABC Studios in Elsternwick. We have no doubt that since this has reared its head and has come up at a council meeting that plenty of ‘negotiations’ have already occurred and that the potential token ‘open space’ that Council might be granted will be offset by another huge, multi-storey development! Watch this space!
Crs Pilling/Delahunty
That a report be prepared on the ABC site at Elsternwick. This report should detail past history, current usage and outline the present future plans for the site. It should also identify types of community uses and benefits for at least part of the site and set out strategies and steps Council can take to achieve this.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) declared a Conflict of Interest as he lives in close proximity to the site.
9.06PM the CEO left the Chamber.
The MOTION was put and CARRIED unanimously.
Glen Eira Debates 
June 13, 2013 at 2:39 PM
The only issue with the ABC site is “how high”. It will be well argued that the current building is about 12 storeys. The anntena on top of the building would count. Going to get great views from the top. Line of site to Geelong in one direction and Mt Dandenong the other way. the lower down appartments will overlook the beautiful gardens and lake of Ripponlea which gave up the land in 1955 under compulsury aquistion to the Federal Government to build the studios. In the end the Council has very little to do with the site. If Pilling and Delahunty did their homework they would learn that council probably has a policy about this site. They are stupid and think they are onto something new. There are famiies that live near the site that fought to stop the ABC getting the land in the first place. Glen Eira Council can lay no claim to the land. These councillors seem to think they can make up the rules as they go along. It will be sold to the highest bidder.
Why don’t they move a motion to tell the poor ratepayers how much the GEC will contribute toward the adevertisinf supporting the Constitutional ammendment re Local Government being recognised in the Australian constitution.
June 13, 2013 at 6:58 PM
Don’t disagree with what you’re saying but comparing this and the possible proactivity of council on the site with what happened to the Alma Rd site. With the latter they sat back, did nothing, and refused to pick up the land at rock bottom prices. Here they’re hoping for some handouts from the government in the same way as the Booran reservoir site. The government would be insane to give them a cracker because it would sit there for ten years before they put a penny into it like has happened with Booran. At best they’ll get the left over scraps – maybe two lots and then still have to pour in money to develop. That end of Elsternwick is going to be a nightmare with 10 to 15 storeys in the pipeline and no infrastructure or parking looked at.
June 13, 2013 at 8:52 PM
It is the Feds not State. Secondly, with views of the bay and Dandenongs as compared to looking at Glenhuntly Rd. Big price difference between Elsternwick and Glenhuntly. They will want the cash to put into the replacement in southbank. The Council will get zilch.
June 13, 2013 at 3:08 PM
Jesus they’re a shonky lot. Hyams says plenty of times show me where it exists in the local laws otherwise we can’t do it. Now it looks like they can rescind if they want to. They bend and make up the rules whenever they like to shut people up or get their own way. Shonk and more shonk from this bunch of incompetents.
June 13, 2013 at 3:39 PM
I thank this blog for addressing again the issues to do with the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve and the Trustees of the Racecourse. Racecourse Reserve access is such an important community issue that is always hidden from the community. Please can access to the Centre Reserve be put on the agenda for the Trustees to address urgently. The MRC just follows the party line of the old signage that was put in place prior to the new Reserve opening. Since the Grand Opening of the Reserve I note that the Glen Eira Road entrance to the Reserve is fully closed to the public via car . The big double gates are permanently closed and have barriers and large signage to keep the public out. What’s the story MRC and CRRT and GEC and Caulfield MP ????
June 13, 2013 at 4:47 PM
It’s pretty rich and hypocritical of Hyams to throw up his hands in the air and please innocence over the centre of the racecourse. It was he and his gang of four that passed the permit. Issues such as disability access and cleanliness are within council’s authority to enforce. I haven’t read the Health Act but would imagine there are plenty of clauses which would allow council to take action. They can fine residents for “unsightly” property, overhanging branches and numerous other misdemeanours. They can surely do the same with the MRC/TRUSTEES. Claiming that nothing is their responsibility reeks of subterfuge if not straight out lies.
June 14, 2013 at 2:58 AM
Does it not seem inconsistent that the the Racing Precinct Special Committee can allow every application the MRC makes for our land and the C60 land (bought with the proceeds of cheap or free use of our land and concessional rates) without ammendment or conditions (which are policed or carried out) like fence removal, signs advertising the park as well as racecourse parking, a new path through Glenhuntly Park onto track easy access but a manure laden entry and a pedestrian pathway with a barrier across, closed streets all without question… buildings without permits on Crown Land just to name a few. Where else would other politicians allow such domination of a public area by the MRC which now has indicated that it is not eing tooo successful as a racing club so it is branching out into other ventures to increase their multi-million dollar profit which lastely rose from only $15m to $22m in a year. Not bad for a non-profit sporting club!!!!
It would seem that MRC has the green light every time and poor residents a red one consistently oh! the snakes and ladders type game in the minute area suggests that young children should be prepared to land on a poo pad if they draw “the wrong straw” as the saying goes, just in case they didn’t experience enough poo in the tunnel entry. The raw deal now commences with young children of Glen Eira… where’s the playground?????????
June 14, 2013 at 4:20 PM
Did all councillors really meekly go along with this crap? There is no excuse for a councillor Trustee to fail to inform the community about the Trustees’ activities, given the sole reason they’re appointed is because they are theoretically community representatives. I wonder what Jamie considers to be the “first premise” that is so incorrect. It is surely not in dispute that our councillor Trustees have failed to keep the community informed about Trustee inactivity. The management regime of the precinct continues to stink. Worth rereading the garbage submitted to VCAT by MRC to avoid having any legal obligations around public access.
June 14, 2013 at 6:12 PM
When something comes up in the trustee meeting about council does Hyams declare a conflict of interest or only when he’s supposed to represent the interests of residents. What a pathetic joke this whole business is and how pathetic is Hyams.