May 2025 council meeting reports
Brimbank City Council
By Josie Vine
Just what does an Action Plan achieve? Well, it all depends on how you look at it I guess.
I mean, you could say one of two things when interpreting Council’s ‘Together We Are Brimbank’ action plan Progress Report (third quarter).
- Council’s doin’ great – a whole 10 percent of its Actions have been achieved.
OR …
2. Council’s not doin’ so great – it has achieved only 10 percent of its Actions.
And I guess that’s the thing about figures. It’s all in the detail. So let’s take a look.
Council adopted the ‘Together We Are Brimbank’ (affectionately known as TWAB) four-year Action Plan in October 2021. It integrates Council’s Community Vision, Council Plan (2021-2025) and Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan.
So things like advocating for money from the State Government, running community events, making parks and public spaces more beautiful etc.
This is the last year of the plan. Presumably a new Action Plan, with an equally inspiring to-action name, will be adopted for 2026 – 2030.
For 2025, the Action Plan contains 81 actions, eight of which are completed.
These are:
- Get the State Government to allocate funding for local government Social Inclusion Action Groups (People and Community).
- Deliver a Community Events program.
- Commence design work on the Dempster Park Children’s and Community Centre.
- Plant more trees in the streets of Kings Park, Deer Park, and St Albans under Council’s Urban Forest Strategy.
- Help the community respond to climate change by delivering the climate emergency stream of the Brimbank Community Grants Program.
- Comply with the Local Government Act (2020) during local government elections.
- Give the in-coming Council support and resources during its transition.
- Start developing a business case for Council’s long term information system needs to support customer service, information security and operational excellence and compliance obligations.
Now eight-out-of-81 actions doesn’t sound much. That’s until you consider that the other 73 actions are ‘in progress’.
Maribyrnong City Council
By Ruby Fox
This month’s Council meeting was shorter than usual, lasting under an hour, and a fairly smooth run, comparatively.
A big topic of discussion for public question time was the issues of homelessness and antisocial behaviour in Footscray CBD.
One person mentioned the “blatant” drug use and criminal activity stemming from the Unison Housing on Barkly Street. In response, council CEO Celia Haddock reassured folk that “community safety is a high priority.”
Haddock said that while Council is “working closely with police” and “local laws teams regularly attend the Unison precinct to identify law breeches” the issue is “in the realm of the police and can be reported to Crime Stoppers.”
Haddock also said Council is taking part in “a number of activities in the effort to revitalise Footscray CBD.” This includes “working in partnership with State Government, Victoria Police, community service organisations, local business and community members as well as trader organisations to understand the issues in greater detail and explore possible solutions.”
Council has also established a “homelessness response group, leading the Maribyrnong homelessness response for coordinated community service effort.” Ongoing community assistance has been “providing significant support for events and festivals resulting in a 30% increase in local spending from 2019 to the end of 2024,” said Haddock.
“The creative places program has been turning vacant properties into creative spaces for artists and creative businesses to showcase their works,” while public improvements include cleaning, graffiti removal, and festoon lighting in Nicholson Street, and regular CBD patrols by local laws officers to assist those in need and connect them with services.
The meeting livened up a bit as Cr Bernadette Thomas introduced the topic of “the newly developed community park within Maribyrnong City Council’s Civic Precinct and Community Hub.”
The Wurundjeri people within our area “have taken the time to work with our council officers to give us” the name “Balit Bargoongagat Banhul” for the park, which translates to “two strong people linked together, community and park.”
Cr Thomas said it is a great way to have “First Nations people be front and centre.”
Cr Cuc Lam went on to address the Annual Community Grants Program, urging people to apply as Council hopes to “support projects that will benefit the Maribyrnong community.”
“The budget for the 2025-2026 Community Grants Program is $255,000,” said Cr Lam, and “is scheduled to open for applications on Tuesday 8 July and close on Tuesday 19 August.” With this grant, Council hopes to promote “community service, working together, building resilience and strengthening networks with the community and supporting community connection and wellbeing,” said Cr Lam.
The topic that took up most time at this meeting was the public transport interchange investment for Footscray CBD. Council acknowledged Footscray as the heart of Melbourne’s inner west, and called for urgent investment in a modern, integrated public transport interchange. The ongoing disruption between train, tram and bus services impacts accessibility, active transport links and broader connectivity. This lack of coordination contributes to congestion, unsafe pedestrian and cycling access and limited access to essential services like hospitals and schools.
Council urged the Victorian Government to fund, design and commit to the implementation of the project by 2026-27. Letters will be sent to all relevant MPs seeking support and action. Cr Elena Pereyra said it’s “a key transformative project for Footscray and it’s long overdue for implementation” as it’s “not just about mobility, it’s about creating economic opportunity, a safer and more vibrant public space, and inclusive access to employment education and civic and cultural life.”
Cr Thomas agreed saying the “State Government’s [unfulfilled] promises to act are really letting down the people in our area.”
Cr Mohamed Semra also pushed for the change. “A better interchange means more inclusive, equitable access for job seekers, students and residents from outer west,” he said.
“Investing now means preparing for a growing population while Footscray remains liveable and accessible.”
Wyndham City Council
By Jack Sutton
A cold breeze and tumbleweeds filled the chamber with only two members of the Wyndham Community present in the gallery during the May council meeting, but it did not disappoint. Not one bit.
With zero notices of motion on the agenda, it was primarily petitions that took up a majority of the speaking time, and in what seems to be a recurring theme in these meetings, one petition in particular was the main talking point.
The petition in reference is about funding for Point Cook. The same topic caused quite a drama during the March meeting this year, and there clearly was some unfinished business.
$24.4 million is the amount in question, and Cr Robert Szatkowski and Cr Josh Gilligan engaged in some heated debate about whether the distribution of these funds to anywhere besides what is listed on the plan, was legal or not.
Cr Gilligan made a powerful statement about the importance of tax money being spent in the suburb from which it’s collected. He emphasised the “billions and billions” of taxpayer money that “leaves our city”, for things like the suburban rail loop, rather than the “electrification of Wyndham Vale”.
Some councillors are not keen on the amount of funding going into growing places like Point Cook, instead of established suburbs. Cr Jasmine Hill said emphatically; “Wyndham City is not Point Cook’s piggy bank.”
Cr Jennie Barrera however, defended Point Cook saying; “The community has been telling us for years they need an appropriate events space, and often have to travel towards the city to find something fitting for their needs.”
Near the end of the meeting came some positive news, with Wyndham City and The City of Greater Geelong intending to sign a memorandum to work together more closely for the next five years. “If we work together, we are better.”
A couple of positive reactions from the quarterly financial reports and a few questions from the public gallery finished off another riveting Wyndham City council meeting.
Hobsons Bay City Council
By Josie Vine
Battle of the balcony
On the eve of a town planning application, the Williamstown Swimming and Life Saving Club project upgrade appears to be not going quite as smoothly as it first appeared.
The updated Club concept design dominated public question time at Hobsons Bay City Council’s May meeting, with the proposed second storey and “party balcony” coming under particular fire.
“That will cause further noise and disruption to local residents already battling severe nightly antisocial and hoon behaviour in the club car park reported regularly and recognised by local police as a noise and hoon hot spot,” one question said.
Infrastructure Director, Matthew Irving said a “variety of rooms and spaces” had been incorporated into the design
“The balcony adjacent to the second storey active training and community rooms has been included within the concept plans to support Club activity,” he said.
Mr Irving said the Club would be “subject” to a new lease agreement, which would include clauses to restrict noise and disruption to residents.
Two questions asked Council to “release” heritage advice related to the concept design.
Mr Irving said a “full assessment” of the planning application was currently being undertaken, and when released would be accompanied by an independent heritage impact statement.
He said residents would be given an opportunity to view plans and accompanying reports, and could make submissions when the application is released for public exhibition.
Council endorsed the updated concept plan during its April meeting, after undergoing two rounds of public exhibition.
The concept design includes: keeping the swimming pool, members lawn area and kiosk; more public toilets and a new observation tower, gym, change rooms and meeting spaces.
The more than $17 million project is paid for by the State Government (more than $11 million) and Council ($3 million).
