Suggestions to prevent council corruption Roadwork Brodie Cowburn brodie@baysidenews.com.au A REVIEW into Kingston Council planning applications involving people implicated in the corruption scandal which brought down Casey Council has been completed. The probity review, completed by Holding Redlich, was presented to Kingston councillors on Monday. A summary prepared by Kingston Council officers read that “no evidence of improper conduct was found and thirteen recommendations were made to improve practices that were identified during the review.” The report cost ratepayers nearly $250,000, excluding officer time. The summary prepared by council officers read that the “report is privileged and confidential communication between Kingston City Council and Holding Redlich for the purpose of providing legal advice”. A copy has been provided to the offices of the state’s peak anti-corruption body IBAC, and the Victorian Ombudsman. Among the suggestions provided to council within the report were to maintain a register of councillor meetings with lobbyists, develop or review a political donation policy, document all meetings with external parties and lobbyists with “contemporaneous” file notes, develop adequate mechanisms for officers and councillors to report suspected misconduct, and to adopt a policy on election campaign return forms.
Picture: Gary Sissons
The probity review was ordered in response to corruption allegations at Casey Council. IBAC had heard allegations that developer John Woodman had financial ties to Casey councillors. Casey Council was sacked in response to the scandal. Kingston mayor Steve Staikos said “we took a proactive approach and looked into any planning applica-
tions involving people who were part of the Casey investigation plus a number of other contentious items.” “I’m pleased to report that the review found no evidence of improper conduct. We take these issues very seriously and wanted to ensure our community had full confidence in local planning processes.” More than 20 planning matters
were set to be investigated as part of Kingston Council’s review, including applications for Waterways, 44 First Avenue, Peninsula Kingswood Golf Club, the Pompei’s Landing precinct, dwellings on Woods Avenue, Chicquita Park, the second stage of the Bay Trail, and the Alex Fraser Group (“Scope of planning probe widens”, The News, 10/6/20).
pain ahead MOTORISTS will be faced with more road closures this week as work continues on the Mordialloc Freeway project. Centre Dandenong Road between Boundary and Tootal roads will close from 8pm Friday 26 February to 5am Monday 1 March. Beams will be lifted into place for the freeway bridge over the road. While the road is closed, detours will be in place via Old Dandenong Road or Lower Dandenong Road. Pedestrian access along Centre Dandenong Road will also be cut off between 11pm and 9am, with detours via Howard and Lower Dandenong roads. Springvale Road between Wells and Pillars roads is closed nightly until 5.30am on Thursday 25 February. Vehicles will be sent on detours down Wells and Governor roads while work is underway to asphalt new lanes. Major Roads Project Victoria has also announced that the southbound lanes on the Mornington Peninsula Freeway between Springvale Road and Thames Promenade will close for a night next month. The road will be blocked from 9pm Saturday 13 March until 9am Sunday 14 March to install new drainage. While the work is undertaken, access from Springvale Road onto the Mornington Peninsula Freeway will be closed. Detours will be in place via Wells Road and Thames Promenade.
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Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
24 February 2021
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