Frankston
23(1 )25
),71(66 '$<6 12: *5($7 *<06
Scholarships
)5$1.6721 )5$1.6721 67+ 0251,1*721 6($)25' &,7<
ZZZ
70
close 13 February
An independent voice for the community
FRP DX
Your weekly community newspaper covering Frankston, Frankston South, Karingal, Langwarrin and Seaford For all advertising and editorial needs, call 03
FREE
toorakcollege.vic.edu.au
Monday 9 February 2015
5973 6424 or email: team@baysidenews.com.au www.baysidenews.com.au
Patrol plea
FRANKSTON lifesavers are pleading for paid beach patrols during the week. Club president Tim Cutrona, pictured with Frankston Life Saving Club’s Shannon Degering, says he will write to Frankston Council to “get the ball rolling” on plans to hire professional lifesavers Monday to Friday. He is concerned lives could be lost when members are not on duty – and that paid patrols Monday to Friday, November to Easter, would ensure safety for beach users at all times. Frankston lifesavers only patrol on weekends. They fear there could be drownings on a weekday. See story, page 6. Picture: Gary Sissons
Planning crackdown action Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au PROPERTY developers have been put on notice by Frankston Council that breaches of planning permit conditions will no longer be tolerated. A council audit of developments after a statement of compliance had been issued found more than 97 per cent were effectively “non-compliant”. A statement of compliance is issued by council to ensure all conditions of a planning permit for a subdivision or
multi-unit development are met. At last month’s council meeting Cr Darrel Taylor said some developers get a planning permit then build without meeting the permit’s conditions. “If a developer or applicant wishes to change or amend the conditions on a permit while being under construction they can make an application – like some respectable developers do – to amend the permit as it is. Not just continue construction and build it and leave it,” he said. “Late last year I asked for an audit on a property in Yuille St and that came
DIVORCE LAWYERS
ÌTax Returns Advisors ÌÌBusiness Under 21 Half Price ÌOn The Spot Tax Refunds Basic, Business, Rental Properties
DENISE DWYER LAWYERS 379 Nepean Hwy, Frankston
Ph: 9781 4612 Email: reception@denisedwyer.com.au
state government reforms of councils’ responsibilities. Councillors voted to ensure 100 per cent of all property developments requiring a statement of compliance be audited for a 12-month trial period ending in January next year. “We should have been following this up for years and we haven’t been,” Cr Colin Hampton said. Cr Brian Cunial agreed. “It is absolute common sense … I don’t know why we [council] have not been doing this for a long time,” he said. Cr Glenn Aitken believed developers’
behaviour would change for the better “in six months after everyone has been targeted”. “I think it is quite appropriate that if council is spending time with all our departments screening these applications [without] enforcing it then there’s no point in doing it. We may as well have ‘Rafferty’s rules’ out there.” Cr James Dooley was the sole councillor to urge caution. “We are telling people Frankston is open for business … something like this could unintentionally financially destroy a builder,” he said.
Written and Performed by Danny Braverman | Directed by Nick Philippou
& ASSOCIATES PTY LTD PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
)$0,/< /$: :,//6 352%$7( '(&($6(' (67$7(6
back with no less than 12 breaches of their planning provisions including landscaping, windows missing, stairs that were not meant to be, front pillars double the size they were meant to be. The building is a … monolithic monstrosity.” Council officers have not been following up to check “out in the field” whether planning permits conditions have been met. Independent building surveyors can carry out this work in Victoria since the formation of the Building Commission in 1994 as part of Kennett
Ph: 9769 6660
Shop 61 Station St Mall, Frankston
Open Evenings & Saturdays
WOT? NO FISH!! Saturday 14 February, 8pm Sunday 15 February, 1.30pm Premiering to critical acclaim at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, this is the true story of a Jewish family living in 20th century London. In 1926, shoemaker Ab Solomons drew on the wage packet he gave to his new wife Celie. This he continued to do throughout their marriage and into the 80s, depicting, with remarkable honesty, the ups and downs of their life together. See the feature article for more details. Tickets: Member $43, Full $48, Conc $45, U30 $30, Group 10+ $45
Tickets: 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.au
WHAT’S ON
Frankston Arts Centre is a Business Unit of Frankston City Council