COUNCIL MEETING PROTEST STALLS SPECIAL RATE

We put our Protest case to Council on Tuesday night's City of Port Phillip Council meeting.

Congratulations to all the Speakers against the SMBA's special rate scheme - well done!

Although the process was again truncated (Questions were moved to Comment time, and then speakers were limited to a ridiculous 3 mins, effectively meaning Questions were NOT allowed in the time, and speakers could NOT put all their points.)

RESULTS:

The Protest point was made and Council has undertaken to do something.

Councillors suggest:

1. A 'Pause' on the striking of the rate ( NOTE: if they decide to eventually go ahead it could well be implemented retrospectively).

2. A 'Forum' so all involved can have a fair say about this rate.

Council advised they would not run this Forum, that SMBA should set it up, and it be independently moderated. (Who is that independent moderator???).

This begs the question AGAIN, who will be invited? because seeing as Council and SMBA DO NOT have a correct database, how will we know everyone has been contacted?

3. Council will then review the results of this forum and decide whether to "modify, reduce, expand or abandon" the scheme.

HOWEVER, the councillor who suggested this - Cr Frank O'Connor, stated adamantly that although he thought this review was now required in the light of our protests, that he was totally IN FAVOUR of the special rate and thought it should go ahead.

The Councillor who seconded this motion - Cr Serge Thomann, stated he also wanted the special rate to happen. So no objectivity there.

4. After the Forum is held, the Council proposed to POSSIBLY re-advertise the rate and start again, meaning we would all have the chance to vote again.

5.This is not certain however. If they try to modify the scheme and we are still not happy, remember we have OVER 300 signed objections.

ALSO Remember this - NOT ONE OF YOUR OBJECTIONS was included in the 'Consideration of Submissions Report to Council, Report 4'.

Not one.

They distorted the evidence, cut short our speaking time, many many points critical were not even put and ALL our questions remain unanswered.

A very diminished democracy indeed.

CITY OF PORT PHILLIP REJECTS LOCAL OBJECTIONS

Unbelievably, the City of Port Phillip council has decided to ignore the growing opposition to its Advertising Levy.

348 objections were received at Council. These are the very people who create the fabric of the village itself - the small business owners.

WHAT TO DO:

Council now requires every single business objector to prove they will be required by their landlord to pay the levy. (What landlord would be willing to pay for its tenant's marketing?)

That means each business will need to produce a written document  - either their lease or a letter from their landlord stating the tenant will be the one required to pay.

Council has added another unfair and undemocratic deadline of 17th April for this information, despite there being an easter holiday closure/break absorbing much of that time.

Important NOTE: Council officers signed an agreement to keep the objectors submissions private, BUT Council has now recklessly published the private information of these objectors directly to the SMBA, despite our written request not do so, and despite its own officers signatures to that request.