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Back with a splash THE main swimming pools and aquatic playground are open again at the Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre after being closed to the public for two months. A plumbing problem saw the PARC pools out of action but the pools have been reopened ahead of the busy summer period. Pictured are Indigo, left, Violet and Tahnee with swim instructor Catherine Fleming last Monday (11 December), the first day the pools at PARC reopened. Picture: Gary Sissons
Monitor set for long stay Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au A MONITOR to investigate and report on governance at Frankston Council has finally been named by the state government three months after the Andrews government first announced state intervention at council. Prue Digby, the former CEO of the Victorian Building Authority, will
begin attending council meetings in January and report back to Victorian Local Government Minister Marlene Kairouz. The Labor state government announced last week that Ms Digby will monitor council and councillors’ conduct for an 18-month spell until June 2019, well beyond the next state election date of November 2018. Ratepayers will foot the bill for the monitor. Monitors at other councils have
individually cost about $1200 a day. Council CEO Dennis Hovenden and Cr Brian Cunial, then mayor, named themselves as complainants to the Local Government Investigations and Compliance Inspectorate when it was announced by the state government the inspectorate had recommended a monitor be appointed at Frankston Council. “The request by Frankston Council for the appointment of a monitor to turn around the dysfunction and
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governance issues is a positive step towards councillors meeting community expectations and I was happy I was able to assist,” Frankston Labor MP Paul Edbrooke said in a statement last week. “With record state Labor government investment and projects rolling out in Frankston it is important that our local government [council] is sharing and supporting our community’s future vision for Frankston.” The state government says con-
cerns about councillor conduct at public meetings “and instances of council meetings being cancelled or delayed have raised concerns about the proper functioning of council”. Ms Digby will attend public council meetings and meetings and briefings held in private by councillors. The current mayor Cr Colin Hampton welcomed Ms Digby’s appointment as monitor. Continued Page 6
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