The following is a report of the July Yarra City Council meeting from Socialist Party Councillor Stephen Jolly.
Last nights Council meeting saw a victory of sorts on the battle to save St. Andrews Kindergarten. The Councillors, under huge pressure from the people of Clifton Hill and the surrounding areas, voted to relocate the Kindergarten building via a house removalist from its current site to a new site next to the Scout Hall in Walker St, Clifton Hill.

If too many obstacles are placed in the way of that option, the Kindergarten will go to St. Marks in North Fitzroy as a plan B.
In summary the saga was:

a) The Anglican Church sold off their land to make a profit and thereby threw out the only Kindergarten in Clifton Hill. A massive community campaign began.
b) The majority of the supposedly ‘leftwing’ Yarra Council refused to buy the land off the Church to save the Kindergarten and relocate other children’s’ services there.
c) The Brotherhood of St Laurence offered to buy the land for an aged care facility – but no Kindergarten.
d) Under pressure from the community, the Council was forced to offer an alternative site and $200,000 was made available.
Last night the alternative sites were narrowed down to the two mentioned above.
The Save St. Andrew Kindergarten campaign waged a magnificent fight and as a result the Kindergarten will continue to exist and almost certainly exist in Clifton Hill.

Yarra Budget

The budget was passed last night with only me voting against. It includes –
- $2 million which was allocated for the land behind Richmond Town Hall. A dodgy development that will almost certainly include a supermarket will be built there and we will loose sports clubs or see them relocated.
- $1.9 million for the first stage of a redevelopment of the Collingwood Leisure Centre. This will lead to the relocation of children’s services to this swimming pool surrounded by main roads.
- No attempts to remove the extra layer of management at Yarra (relative to other Councils) that sees rate payers fund an army of suits.
- No money to buy the land to save St. Andrews.
- A net reduction in community grants (the funds allocated to community grants didn’t rise with inflation).
Limited concessions, like the $200,000 for a new site for St. Andrews and $15,000 a year rent subsidy for St. Vinnies food depot, came as a result of the pressure of the community, backed by SP.

St. Vinnies got their rent subsidy last night - $15,000 a year for three years – which means they will survive. SP has organised for over 800 people to sign a petition to at Smith St over the last few weeks and the public campaign forced the conservative majority on Council to do the right thing.

However, requests from other groups (such as the Parents of the Pool who want the occasional child care at Fitzroy Pool open all year for two days a week or by the North Richmond public housing estate for a community worker for the growing African population) were knocked back.

The Parents of Pool submission would of only cost $8,000 (out of $100 million+ budget!) yet ALP Councillor Paul D’Agastino asked the submitter “where are we going to get the money from – we would have to increase rates”. These Councillors happily vote for millions on projects such as $7 million for a redeveloped Fitzroy Town Hall for the use of bureaucrats and themselves, yet act like Scrooge when it comes to the community.

Questions without notice

I asked two questions without notice. One was about the push by 8 ‘capital city’ Mayors to the Federal government, seeking $6 billion for projects. The rightwing Melbourne City Council wanted almost half of that money. They are seeking $2.9 million for a range of projects including a tunnel at Clifton Hill to link the Eastern Freeway and the Western Ring road. The Yarra CEO confirmed that they had not told Council they were seeking money to put a massive tunnel in Yarra’s area!

The other question was in relation to the recent racist media campaign in the Herald Sun and 3AW Derryn Hinch show about Aboriginal drinking on Smith St, Collingwood. The real story is that the State government have refused to help Yarra Council fund an Aboriginal-run project of Dry Centre and a 24-hour bus to deal with the issues on the street.

As a consequence nothing is happening to sort the issue and the traders, shoppers and workers are getting toey. Not to mention the ongoing health and safety concerns for the people drinking on the street.

SP is currently meeting with Aboriginal groups and others about possibly calling a rally on the street, with a march to the State member’s office on Smith St calling for the State government to meet their responsibilities and co-fund the project before someone gets killed on the street.
Watch this space!

Visit Stephen’s SP council stall every Saturday outside Safeway, Smith St from 12 noon to 1pm.
Also support the fundraiser trivia night we are organising featuring Corrine Grant! Saturday 4th August 7pm Trades Hall (cnr Lygon + Victoria St, Carlton South). Profits split between St. Andrews Kindergarten campaign and the Atherton Gardens Residents Association. Tickets $20/$5. Ring (03) 96399111

For more information about the Socialist Party in the City of Yarra and our work on council click here