Here is how Pilling summed up:

PILLING: thanked residents for the ‘most successful consultation’ in Glen Eira and that the review ‘largely reflects’ what the community wanted. Said that the issues are more than structure planning but include infrastructure, parking, etc. ‘It’s a wide range of issues’ but ‘the only practical way’ since it is an ‘ambitious’ document is to ‘allow time to get it right’. Endorsed Lipshutz’s comments regarding the Lobo comments and stated that the latter’s comments were ‘totally inaccurate’ and that he wants to remind Lobo that ‘he did vote to bring the new zones in as well as every other councillor who was here at the time’.

Thought that the action plan was ‘practical’ given the ‘biggest population growth in melbourne’s history’ and ‘we are trying to manage that’. ‘Looking back’ they may have done something ‘different in the past’ but ‘certainly times have changed’ and ‘we are responding to that’. ‘We are trying to address the concerns of the community’. So they are taking on board community concerns and talking with the planning department as to ‘what is achievable’. Repeated that the document is ‘ambitious’ but after ‘tonight will leave us in a better position to plan for our future growth’. Thought the ‘zones have been a very positive step’, Neighbourhood character is also ‘very important’. Council has ‘2 storey 8 metres over 78%’ of the municipality and this has ‘certainly helped’ to preserve neighbourhood character. ‘But can we do more? Yes’ by ‘identifying areas we can improve on’. ‘So it is a continual update’ and he regards it as ‘one of the most important documents’ since he’s ‘been on council’.

MOTION PUT AND CARRIED. MAGEE VOTED AGAINST. ALL OTHERS VOTED FOR.

COMMENT

  • Once again we have confirmation of the illegal processes this council undertakes. No formal resolution was ever tabled or voted on by councillors to introduce, or to even send off a ‘request’ to the Minister on the zones. Thus any ‘vote’ taken was taken in assemblies – a definite ‘no-no’ according to the Local Government Act.
  • On another governance issue – Pilling moved the motion on the interim heights. Since he is ‘chairperson’ of the meeting, he should have stepped down and the deputy mayor taken his place. Plenty of other councils stipulate this in their Local Law meeting procedures. The fact that Glen Eira doesn’t is another example of shonky process and poor governance. Since it is the chair who determines points of order, eligibility of questions, etc., it is inappropriate for that same individual to be moving any motion. But that’s Glen Eira – anything that favours the ruling clique goes!
  • Sounds as if the flavour of the month is the word ‘ambitious’. Perhaps Pilling could inform residents how ‘ambitious’ it is to set a time frame of up to 20 years to implement structure plans for all activity centres and 3 to 4 years for parking precinct plans that have been on the books for the past 10 years?

CONCLUSION

Pilling’s record as a councillor is frankly appalling. Elected on Green credentials he very quickly disowned that party and to all intents and purposes became a Liberal. Nothing wrong with changing allegiances, but not when people voted for him believing he is a Green. Since the party also funded his campaign has that money been returned? We also have it on good authority that some Pilling reps came cap in hand to the Greens seeking Pilling’s re-entry to the Greens and begging for another round of campaign funding! Given his 2 time mayoralty, we would have thought that $190,000+ should buy plenty of election posters and pamphlets! We can only hope that the Greens have learnt their lesson and formally excommunicated their Quisling.

Residents should also remember Pilling’s role in the most contentious issues of recent times and how his vote helped scuttle community aspirations. We refer to:

  • Caulfield Village C60 & Development plans
  • Caulfield Village Cinema
  • Frogmore heritage status
  • Turning more and more of Bailey Reserve into a car park
  • In 2011 Pilling was in favour of a Notice of Motion. In 2016 he voted for public question restrictions that limited transparency and community participation.
  • Casting vote in line with Lipshutz, Hyams, etc. on numerous developments
  • Gagging councillors repeatedly

Here is part of Pilling’s record in voting for permits, many of which he moved or seconded –

1056-1060 DANDENONG ROAD, 8 storeys, 97 units

127-131 Gardenvale Road – 12 units

483-493 GLEN HUNTLY ROAD, ELSTERNWICK – 8 storey, 57 units

687-689 GLEN HUNTLY ROAD, CAULFIELD – 28 units

451-453 SOUTH ROAD BENTLEIGH – 5 storey, 12 units

149-153 NEERIM ROAD & 4 HINTON ROAD, GLEN HUNTLY – 17 double storeys

2 MORTON AVENUE, CARNEGIE – 6 storeys, 40 units

15-19 Gordon Street ELSTERNWICK – 8 storeys, 55 units

730A CENTRE ROAD BENTLEIGH EAST – 5 storeys, 29 units

33-35 Jersey Parade, Carnegie – 4 storey, 28 units

115-125 Poath Road Murrumbeena – 4 storey, 33 units

67-73 Poath Road MURRUMBEENA – 6 and 7 storey, 39 units

144 Hawthorn Road CAULFIELD NORTH – 6 storeys, 40 dwellings

2-4 Penang Street MCKINNON – 3 storey, 23 units (permit was refused by councillors, but Pilling & Sounness voted against refusal)

15-17 Belsize Avenue & 316-320 Neerim Road CARNEGIE – 4 storey, 52 units

22-26 Bent Street BENTLEIGH – 4 storeys, 41 units

29-33 Loranne Street BENTLEIGH – 4 storeys, 42 units

168 Hotham Street ELSTERNWICK – Lipshutz & Pilling wanted 5 storeys and 78 dwellings

339-341 Neerim Road & 19-21 Belsize Avenue CARNEGIE – 4 storeys, 35 units

64-66 Bent Street MCKINNON – 3 and 4 storey, 31 units (again Pilling & Sounness moved to accept)

1240-1248 Glen Huntly Road CARNEGIE – 6 storeys, 117 units (Pilling/Delahunty motion)