NEWS DESK
Plan forming for Frankston’s future
FRANKSTON Council chambers. Picture: Gary Sissons
Rate cut for residents rejected Brodie Cowburn brodie@baysidenews.com.au A PROPOSED five per cent rate cut for Frankston residents has been rejected by council. Plans for a rate cut were put forward by Cr Steven Hughes. His motion was supported by Cr Liam Hughes, but rejected by the seven other councillors at a meeting last week. The proposal would have seen general rates for Frankston ratepayers cut by five per cent in the 2022/2023 financial year. Cr Hughes told the meeting last week that Frankston residents are “paying too much in rates”. “There’s a number of arguments that council brings forth about why you’re not paying too much in rates. They use the example that the average house price in Frankston is lower so that means they have to charge more for each resident to cover the costs we need to cover for rate
money,” he said. “Council looks at an average house price perspective in this instance because it works in their favour. Average rates for Frankston residents are lower than other councils, mostly because of the socio-economic divide of Frankston. You have Karingal, Frankston North, and Carrum Downs - they have a lower average value house price which drives down the total average house price for the rest of Frankston. But this isn’t Soviet Russia where the collective outweighs the individual. Other areas in Frankston have comparable, if not higher land values than neighbouring councils. Frankston South, Langwarrin South, Sandhurst, and Seaford residents are suffering under a high rate burden.” One opposing councillor, Kris Bolam, used a 21-piece bucket of KFC drumsticks to illustrate his reason for voting against the rate cut. “This bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken was $34. When I look at the rateable amount paid on my property it was $2531. Under Cr
Hughes’ proposal I would get a five per cent saving, which equates to roughly $31.50 on a quarterly basis - the Kentucky Fried Chicken,” he said. “That’s great but what services and what initiatives have to be cut in order for me to get the short term gain of chicken? “When you put into context how many services have to be cut or how many staff have to be made redundant, I think it’s a real concern.” Cr Hughes suggested that the reduction in rate income be offset by cuts to council’s operating costs and capital works program. Frankston Council’s corporate and commercial services wrote that a five per cent rate cut would have an “extremely significant” impact on council’s “future ability to both provide services and deliver key community infrastructure projects” (“Five per cent rate cut proposed” The Times 5/4/2021). This is the second time during this term that Frankston Council has rejected a notice of motion to provide a rate cut to its residents.
A PLAN for the future of Frankston’s CBD is in development. Council has begun community consultation to shape the Emerging Ideas paper for Frankston’s city centre. It says that ideas in discussion include “more parks, plazas and gathering places, diverse housing, strengthening Frankston’s arts, entertainment and culture, strengthening built form character including defined building heights in key locations, preserving important view lines and minimising overshadowing in key locations, a thriving Kananook Creek promenade” and more. The paper will also assess the benefits of better public transport and investment into cycling facilities. Frankston mayor Nathan Conroy says that the plan will help Frankston residents “reap the benefits” from “increased interest in the decentralisation of services and offices from Melbourne’s CBD to cities like Frankston.” “This emerging ideas paper is the first step in the conversation with the community about their vision for
Frankston’s city centre. This is long term, big picture thinking – how do you want your city to look 20 years from now? Do we want more green open space in the city centre for people to gather and spend time? Where do we want to concentrate development and what does that development look like? How do we guide changes around the Nepean Highway and Kananook Creek Boulevard in a sensitive way,” he said. “Following this initial round of consultation, council will take feedback into account before developing a draft structure plan which will go out for a further round of consultation, before a final structure plan is prepared and then presented to council for adoption. Once it is adopted, the structure plan will go through the planning scheme amendment process to be approved by the Victorian government’s minister for planning.” To make a submission visit engage. frankston.vic.gov.au/Frankston_ City_Centre or contact council at 1300 322 322 or info@frankston.vic. gov.au.
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Frankston Times
12 April 2022
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