2015 has definitely been a very mixed bag. Here is our summation –
The Positives
- The resignation of Andrew Newton and another senior bureaucrat.
- The fallout from the residential zones is now obvious to all and councillors are feeling the pressure
- A far more enlightened and knowledgeable electorate on planning
- 2016 is an election year.
- Rate capping imposed
The Negatives
- Further evidence in recent days of a dysfunctional and divided council
- Major travesties of justice and continued ignoring of community – Frogmore, the MRC and C60 developments, Caulfield Park conservatory, destruction of street after street as a result of the new zones
- Ratepayer funds spent on disseminating lies and propaganda as damage control – ie the 11 cents flyer
- Voting cliques
- No tree register
- No amendments to curb overdevelopment & no review of planning scheme
- No consistency in councillors’ arguments
- Deplorable governance continues
- Sub standard officer reports
- Pavilions that continue to come in well over budget – Duncan MacKinnon for one.
We have undoubtedly ignored plenty of other events/issues that could have been included in the above. Please feel free to add your own.
Finally, thank you to all our readers and contributors and thank you again to our council for it is they who provide the multitude of fodder for our analyses. We are pretty optimistic about the future and the potential for major change and improvement. As the following says – it has started but still a long way to go before we get a fully transparent and accountable council. That in the end will depend on voters and candidates who do give a damn about residents.
Glen Eira Debates 
December 24, 2015 at 8:23 AM
Thank you to the anonymous people that actually put this blog together. Your up to date account of what is really going on in the town hall is a great service to the residents of Glen Eira. Be assured that some of the staff inside the town hall are watching closely. Seasons greeting and thank you.
December 24, 2015 at 9:03 AM
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Kudos to the Editor and Moderators who have kept many residents informed of what is happening in Glen Eira City Council even though 3 notorious Councillors keep saying that there are about 5 or 6 residents who repeatedly write under “Anonymous names” and is not a view of the majority. Perhaps the link to this forum is advertised through media for multiple effect.
The following are the additional negatives:
*Installation of Jewish radio antenna on Council’s building after which policy drafted without public consultation.
* Push for special girls school to be a part of a home.
*Public consultation, Public consultation, Public consultation, what is it?
* In fighting more serious than sacking of Council in 2005 and further two intervention from Municipal Inspectorate.
* Cutting trees in Caulfield park
* Unauthorised playing of Frisbee in Caulfield
using public liability of rate payers.
* Calling a resident a BITCH and then negating
it through his teeth by saying he said used
the word Witch
Others may have a continuation to this list.
December 24, 2015 at 9:10 AM
I’ll join the chorus in offering a hearty thank you to the owners of the blog. If I want to know what goes on in council I definitely don’t look at their media releases or their other publications. I head straight to this site.
Have a great holiday everyone.
December 24, 2015 at 9:22 AM
A Happy New Year to all, and especially to the host of this fine blog page.
The skill in which the council meetings are reported and the way the debate is managed is a wonder to behold, and a outstanding public service and resource for Glen Eira residents. This is no small feat for anyone to do, or even manage. PB has a huge department with many 100’s of staff and fails to do this.
The new year will bring Rebecca McKenzie to our Town Hall, this will be interesting, and an opportunity to make much needed gains.
To all other people who write read and care about democracy or fairest or just plain care about the place they call home Glen Eira, best wishes also.
To end the year with a good old song quote,
“if you don’t fight, you lose”
December 24, 2015 at 9:36 AM
I also wish to thank those people behind GE Debates. This is the only place to find the truth about how dysfunctional and appalling Glen Eira Council is. There are just so many issues that this blog covers which highlight the complete ineptitude of councillors and the despicable and cunning actions of an appalling administration led by a man without scruples. Let’s hope that the incoming CEO can get this council functioning in a democratic way to reflect what residents want in their communities and neighbourhoods.
I hope there are many good, competent, strong willed people out there who are prepared to stand for council in 2016 and change how this council functions and we can happily wave goodbye to Lipshutz, Hyams, Pilling and Esakoff – I want to see them gone more than anything!
Again thanks GE Debates
December 24, 2015 at 9:48 AM
Moi also. Thanks for all the hard yakka. Luv readin the site.
December 24, 2015 at 10:00 AM
I am relatively new here and want to endorse all the other comments. I only wish that I had discovered this treasure a few years back so that I could have done a better job on my objections to planning applications. There are many wise and well informed residents who have provided plenty of food for thought through their comments. They get my thanks as well. Council if it was wise would take on board many of the suggestions and criticisms. Then we might have a responsive council determined to do its best for residents.
December 24, 2015 at 12:49 PM
Welcome. You will soon learn how your Council rep performs. Hope the new CEO, Rebecca is a fast learner before she is contaminated by the gang.
December 27, 2015 at 9:25 AM
Who are the Councillors Rebecca needs to be aware of and why?
December 24, 2015 at 2:21 PM
Like others here I congratulate the moderators and authors for a wonderful resource and thank them for all the many hours they put in. Personally what I value the most is the historical record that is available and the ability to read what councillors say one minute from the next. For that reason alone this site is invaluable and a constant reminder of how much needs to change in Glen Eira.
December 24, 2015 at 2:59 PM
ditto well said D Evans !
December 24, 2015 at 7:22 PM
Page 3 of this week’s Caulfield Glen Eira Leader has a highlight for me: the retention of the Dorothy Av bridge on the Frankston Line, being a physical remnant of the former Rosstown railway. Shame the photo in CGEL was from the east since that is a modern accretion from when 3rd line was installed. A proposed connection between Rosstown railway and Frankston line also contributed to the creation of EE Gunn reserve. Disappointing that some councillors aren’t that interested in the history of their wards.
December 25, 2015 at 12:14 AM
I would say all councillors are not considerate of history in their wards, with all trying their damned hardest to destroy it, buildings, old trees, bridges, shops, streets, you name it they will go out of their way to wreck it. (MODERATORS: sentence deleted)
December 25, 2015 at 6:41 AM
The loss of Frogmore and the dispicable behaviour of the Lipshutz, Hyams and Pilling is up there in the 2015 List of Low Lights.
December 27, 2015 at 8:47 AM
How many Councillors have voted for destruction of Frogmore and who were they?
December 27, 2015 at 9:04 AM
Including the above Terminators, was it not O’kotell and Esakoff (Rosstown – Carnegie etc) who took part in demolishing Frogmore including the destruction of streets in Carnegie.
December 27, 2015 at 9:18 AM
This blog is empowering Glen Eira residents to keep up to date with what is happening in Glen Eira at a time when residents need to step up and fight to keep our suburbs. Not only do we need to make greedy developers accountable, we need to continue to keep Councillors honest and remember who they are representing. 2016 is year for changes to zoning in Glen Eira before it is too late. Looking at a structure for Commercially zoned area is essential and should be addressed immediately. Save Glen Eira!
December 27, 2015 at 12:24 PM
Don’t forget Lobo amongst the lowlights. What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
December 27, 2015 at 11:53 PM
Which community do you belong to? Is Lobo the only one with lowlights? GE belongs to around 107 ethnic communities and not to just one community who wants it all. The residents are waking up to the pulling of wool. I hope 2016 will be a year to see new Councillors replacing the useless existing Councillors.
December 28, 2015 at 10:56 AM
The GEDebates community! Interested in issues and facts not debate that degenerates into racial vilification.
December 27, 2015 at 1:34 PM
MODERATORS: comment deleted
December 27, 2015 at 6:41 PM
What does it cost a man to gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his soul.
December 27, 2015 at 10:42 PM
It may be worth it, to sell your soul for the whole world, but Glen Eira ain’t the the whole of anything, so to sell out GE is a despicable act. So support the people that who work for justice and freedom and accountability, these are the pearls in the mud.
Self interest and singularism is rarely, if ever a virtue no matter how it is dressed up and sold.