NEWS DESK
Celebrating reading
Rate rise for residential properties proposed OWNERS of residential properties in Frankston could be hit with a rate increase of nearly four percent if council’s draft budget is approved. Frankston Council approved its draft budget for the 2022/2023 financial year at a meeting last week. It will now be sent out to consultation before coming back for final approval. A 3.91 per cent average increase will apply to rates collected on residential properties in Frankston. The amount collected through ordinary rates will increase by 3.4 per cent and the amount collected on vacant residential land will increase by 6.12 per cent. Council re-evaluated property prices in the municipality during the last year,
with the new values to be taken into account from 1 July. In the draft budget council officers wrote that property valuations had increased overall by 24.30 per cent, with residential properties increasing by 26.01 per cent. Council is bound by a rate cap of 1.75 per cent. In order to ensure that the total amount of general rates collected in the next year doesn’t pass that mark, commercial property rates are proposed to be cut by 8.5 per cent. Council has projected a $22.16 million surplus for the 2022/2023 financial year. That amount includes grant funding it is receiving for projects, such as $3.8 million for the Kananook
Station commuter car park, $4.228 million for the Jubilee Park redevelopment, and $3.1 million for works at Seaford Wetlands. Multiple capital work projects are included in the draft budget, with a total spend of $91.61 million projected for the year. Council has budgeted $15.74 million of ratepayer money on the Jubilee Park redevelopment, $3.5 million on a new pavilion for Lloyd Park, and $2.78 million on upgrades at Belvedere Reserve. To view the draft budget and make a submission visit engage.frankston.vic. gov.au/draft-budget-2022-2023 Brodie Cowburn
Picture: Gary Sissons
POP IN POP UP
PROMINENT local authors will appear at an event to celebrate reading this month. Frankston Arts Centre will host the Frankston City: A City of Readers event on 11 May. The night will be hosted by ABC journalist Paul Kennedy, who authored a book last year about his experience growing up in Frankston. Authors Garry Disher, Christian White, and Vikki Petriatis will all speak at the free event. Local libraries are also set to host interesting author talks this month. At 7pm on 5 May, crime writers Stephen Johnson and Hugh McGinlay will share writing advice with visitors to Carrum Downs Library. Dr Yves Rees will visit Frankston Library at 5pm, 17 May. Rees will talk about their book All About Yves, a memoir about the trans experience. Their library visit coincides with International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. The library’s regular storytime events are still running. Book chats are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month at Carrum Downs Library and the second Monday of each month at Frankston. To see a upcoming library events or book tickets visit library.frankston.vic. gov.au
FRANKSTON Hospital nurses Deepa and Ashleigh with Labor MPs Peta Murphy and Mark Butler. Picture: Supplied
Opposition promise bulk billed clinic LABOR has promised to fund a new “Medicare Urgent Care Clinic” in Frankston if it wins the federal election. The federal opposition has announced it will spend $135 million over four years to fund trials of 50 urgent care centres statewide. It hopes that the centres will make it easier for people to access urgent bulk billed medical care. One of the centres will be near Frankston Hospital. Dunkley MP Peta Murphy welcomed the plans. She said “the pressure on Frankston Hospital’s emergency department has been increasing under the Morrison government, this local Medicare Urgent Care Clinic will take pressure off our hospital and reduce patient wait times. Our local community deserves access to urgent and affordable health care when we need it most.” Shadow health minister Mark Butler said that the clinics will “strengthen Medicare and make it easier for families to access care.” “Medicare is the bedrock of our health system and by using it to help take the pressure off hospital emergency departments we can make the whole system stronger,” he said. The clinics are expected to be open seven days a week from 8am to 10pm.
School upgrade begins WORK has begun on the Seaford Primary School upgrade. The school is getting an upgraded playground and outdoor area. The state government is spending just over $490,000 on the project. In recent years a new multipurpose building and art facility were opened at the school, with the state government spending $5.3 million on that upgrade.
Peta Murphy MP & Labor will
Strengthen Medicare
Lathams Road Upgrade
Have a question about the Lathams Road Upgrade? Head on down to our local pop-up session and speak to our project team.
With a dedicated Urgent Care Clinic to take pressure off Frankston Hospital.
Drop in anytime, no RSVP required. The team will be available to show you what the upgrade looks like and answer any questions. We hope to see you there!
4155
Wednesday 4 May, 9 to 11am Take it Easy Takeaway 34 Rutherford Road, Carrum Downs (corner of Stephenson Road)
Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne
PetaMurphyDunkley
@petamurphylabordunkley
petamurphy.net
Authorised by Peta Murphy, Australian Labor Party, 37 Playne St, Frankston VIC.
Frankston Times
3 May 2022
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