NEWS DESK
Sports club’s ‘win’ on rent Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au AFTER nearly two years of sometimes acrimonious debate, Mornington Peninsula Shire has increased the rent for land leased by the Hastings Cricket and Football Social Club in Marine Parade. However, the increase from $4000 a year to $15,000 initially, could have been $61,000 if the shire had adopted a higher recommended “commercial” figure. The club, which has 50 gaming machines, will be charged $15,000 (plus GST) a year in the first year of a its new 21-year lease, rising to $25,000
a year in three years and then paying three per cent increases for the following 18 years. The decision by council at its Tuesday 24 July meeting brings the rent in well below the $61,000 a year identified in a report commissioned by the shire from valuers Charter Keck Cramer. Much of the argument for the club to pay a substantial rent increase was based on the shire’s responsible gaming strategy which, among its goals and objectives, seeks to “ensure that venues operating gaming machines on shire owned land make a positive contribution to the community”. Figures released last week show $84 million was lost to gaming ma-
chines on the Mornington Peninsula between July 2017 and June this year. In neighbouring Frankston gamblers lost $64.6m. Figures released by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation put losses at the Hastings Cricket and Football Social Club at $3.278m. Losses at two other pokies venue in Hastings were the Western Port Hotel, were shown as $4.76m and the Kings Creek Hotel, $1.9m. In deciding on the $15,000 - $25,000 rent, councillors effectively rejected arguments put forward by property and strategy manager Yasmin Woods for the rent to start at $42,000 (plus GST),
Police patrol
climbing to $52,000 by the third year and then increasing by three per cent for each of the following 18 years. Ms Woods said the recommended starting rent of $42,000 a year included a subsidy based on the club providing benefits to the community. She said two consecutive annual increases of $5000 “is considered to be a fair and reasonable rental”. The shire’s responsible gaming strategy notes that “the presence of gaming machines changes the nature of operations of a community club. Gaming machines are a commercial activity that attracts new financial resources to the venue, resources that are not available to clubs without gaming
machines”. The policy continues: “The organisation operating gaming machines on shire owned or managed property should pay a fair rent for the property. This fair rent should be based on a commercial/market rent for the property discounted by the demonstrated social benefit by the organisation to the broad community.” The club’s previous 21-year $4000 a year lease expired on 31 December 2016. The club has a liquor licence (renewed annually) and its entitlement to have 50 machines is valid until 16 August 2022 and can be renewed for $1.47m. Its gaming licence is due in 2028.
With Stephen Taylor and Neil Walker
Driver blows it on Peninsula Link SOMERVILLE Highway Patrol officers nabbed a driver allegedly speeding at more than 75km over the limit in Frankston, Wednesday 1 August. When intercepted the 39-year-old Carrum Downs man told police he was on his way to basketball. Asked why he was speeding he said: “I was just showing off.” Police clocked the Ford Territory at 175kph in a 100kph zone on Peninsula Link near Frankston-Dandenong Road at 8.30pm. The car exited at Thames Promenade and was found by police on the side of the road with a blown engine. The passengers were a 40-year-old Frankston North man and two boys aged 17 and 16. Leading Senior Constable Natalie Dean, of police media, said the driver was unlicensed and tested positive for methamphetamine. He was charged with reckless conduct endangering life, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, manner dangerous, speed dangerous and other speed and traffic-related offences and bailed to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court on 19 November. The unregistered car was impounded for 30 days at a cost of $1006.10.
Monkey problem THE high number of unregistered “monkey bikes” in streets, reserves and parks throughout Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula is a worry to Somerville Highway Patrol. They say residents complain about
Keep left not right A DRIVER pulled over for failing to keep left on Peninsula Link, 7pm, Thursday 26 July, got a rude shock when he was handed a $161 infringement notice and lost two demerit points. Somerville Highway Patrol police said they watched the car being driven at 95kph for three kilometres in the right-hand lane while other cars passed on its left.
Hungry drink-driver the bikes’ noise, possible damage to the environment and sometimes the riders (pictured) are considered a danger to other road users. A tragic example of what can happen as a result of this illegal behaviour occurred at the Carrum Downs shopping centre. (“Hit-run mum death charges” The News 28/9/2015). “Given the places these bikes can access that police vehicles can’t, and the tendency of the riders not to obey police directions to stop and thereby create more dangerous situations, the issue is a difficult one to police,” Sergeant Peter Martin said. Police say they are “committed to dealing with this issue as best we can” and welcome public assistance. Anyone knowing the identities of those riding unregistered motorcycles, or their address, should contact Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or online at crimestoppersvic.com.au
A DRIVER out to get some Chinese takeaway wrote off his car in Towerhill Road, Frankston South, and then allegedly blew more than four times the legal limit when breath-tested at Frankston police station. Somerville Highway Patrol police drove to Frankston South, 8.40pm, Wednesday 25 July, after receiving reports of a car backing out of a driveway and hitting a wall. By the time they got there the car had gone. Five minutes later they were called to Towerhill Road where the same car had crashed into a pole. The car was a write-off, but the driver, 55, of Frankston South, was not injured. After the breath test the man’s licence was suspended and he will appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court on drink-driving charges. He told police he had been drinking wine and had gone out for takeaway. Police said drug driving was becoming prevalent but that drink driv-
ing remained a problem with often tragic outcomes.
What’s in a name … PEOPLE asked for their name and address by a police officer or PSO are entitled to ask for the officer’s or PSO’s name, rank and station. Commander Stuart Bateson said new contact cards being distributed last week would give members of the public the name of the officer they spoke to in case they needed to follow up later.
Arrests after robbery FOUR men were arrested following a robbery in Frankston early Friday 3 August. The men approached a Seaford man, 26, on Nepean Highway just after 2am. One allegedly demanded the victim hand over money. The victim handed over a small amount before he was driven to an ATM in Frankston to withdraw more money. The offenders then followed the man to his home to steal more cash. While there a relative called police who arrived and arrested them. Two Deer Park men, aged 17 and 18, a 19-year-old Heidelberg man and a 21-year-old Kensington man, have been charged with robbery and false imprisonment. The 18-year-old, who has also been charged with possessing a drug of dependence, and the 21-year-old, have been bailed to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court
on 20 November. The 17-year-old and the 19-year-old appeared at Frankston Magistrates’ Court later on Friday.
Deceptions POLICE are chasing two men, above, after alleged thefts and deceptions in Frankston and the Melbourne CBD, Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 April. Police allege the men stole a wallet containing credit cards from Monash University, Peninsula campus, on the Moorooduc Highway, about 5pm. The same men are later believed to have used a card from the stolen wallet at a fast food outlet at the corner of Bourke and Russell streets, Melbourne. One of the men is de4scribed as Asian, 25-30 years old, with a medium build. He was wearing a black backpack, black overcoat and grey trousers. The other man is of Southern European appearance, 25-30 years old, with a medium build. He was wearing a dark coloured hoodie and light coloured jeans.
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Southern Peninsula News
7 August 2018