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Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au LAWYERS paid ratepayers’ money to investigate and arbitrate internal disputes between Frankston councillors have expressed concerns over “considerable expense for council” when ruling on unsubstantiated code of conduct complaints. Ratepayers will foot the bill running to tens of thousands of dollars for at least three arbitration sittings in the past two months (“Costly conduct for ratepayers”, The Times 5/9/16). Council CEO Dennis Hovenden and mayor Cr James Dooley refuse to give specific or ballpark figures for the legal fees. “Council is unable to comment on these matters as they remain confidential,” Cr Dooley, council’s official spokesman as mayor, said in a statement last week. “To do so would breach the Local Government Act and the investigation process.” The Times can reveal that legal representatives found complaints by Cr Glenn Aitken against Cr Darrel Taylor and Cr Rebekah Spelman over comments made to the press about a $3.5 million Wells St revamp that rose to $4.9 million were without merit. A separate complaint by Cr Dooley against Cr Taylor about email correspondence was also dismissed by an independent arbitrator paid to investigate and make a code of conduct ruling.
Happier days: Crs Suzette Tayler, left, Rebekah Spelman, Darrel Taylor, James Dooley, Sandra Mayer and Glenn Aitken speak up for Frankston before the 2014 state election. Picture: Gary Sissons
Crs Suzette Tayler and Darrel Taylor were found to have breached council’s code of conduct by a legal representative brought in by council in a third arbitration hearing over some comments made on Facebook. The pair said they were unable to comment on specific investigations
when contacted. Cr Darrel Taylor said in arbitration hearings that he believed complaints against him by Cr Dooley and Cr Aitken were “retaliation” for speaking out about the behaviour of “aligned fellow councillor” and deputy mayor Colin Hampton at a public function
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• Wednesday 19 October – 9.30 to 11.30am • Thursday 20 October – 6 to 7.30pm •• Saturday Saturday 22 22 October October – – 9.30 9.30 to to 11.30am 11.30am •• Monday Visit kingston.vic.gov.au/carrumfcc Monday 24 24 October October – –6 6 to to 7.30pm 7.30pm to register! •• Tuesday Tuesday 25 25 October October – – 9.30 9.30 to to 11.30am 11.30am • Wednesday 19 October – 9.30 to 11.30am The centre will be home to: The centre will be home to: 7.30pm • Thursday 20 October – 6 to •• childcare and education childcare and education • Saturday 22 October – 9.30 to 11.30am •• three-year-old three-year-old kindergarten kindergarten • Monday 24 October – 6 to 7.30pm •• four-year-old kindergarten four-year-old kindergarten • Kindergarten PLUS – incorporating • Tuesday 25 October – 9.30 to 11.30am • Kindergarten PLUS – aa program program incorporating extra extra learning learning with additional hours with additional hours •• maternal and child maternal andhome child health health (commencing late late 2016) 2016) The centre will be to: (commencing •• family family and and community community services. services.
• Wednesday 19 October – 9.30tour to 11.30am Meet our dedicated staff–and our new facility in October • Thursday 20 October 6 to 7.30pm
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childcare and education three-year-old kindergarten For For more more information: information: four-year-old kindergarten 9581 3000 9581 3000 or or go go to to kingston.vic.gov.au/carrumfcc kingston.vic.gov.au/carrumfcc Kindergarten PLUS – a program incorporating extra learning with additional hours • maternal and child health (commencing late 2016) • family and community services.