Minutes - Meeting of the Port Phillip City Council - 18 February 2026
MINUTES OF THE Meeting of the Port Phillip City Council HELD 18 February 2026 IN St Kilda Town Hall AND VIRTUAL VIA TEAMS
The meeting opened at 6:30pm.
IN ATTENDANCE
Cr Makin (Chairperson), Cr Buckingham, Cr Cunsolo, Cr Halliday, Cr Hardy, Cr Jay, Cr Makin, Cr Crawford, Cr Thomann.
Chris Carroll, Chief Executive Officer, Nellie Montague, Acting General Manager City Development, Kylie Bennetts, General Manager Community Wellbeing, Robyn Borley, General Manager, Governance and Performance, Paul Wood, Acting General Manager, City Infrastructure, Daniel Lew, Acting Director, People and Experience, Christine Dening, Manager Community Building and Inclusion, Jon Liston, Head of Transport, Sophie McCarthy, Executive Director South Melbourne Market, Bridget Monro-Hobbs, Manager Community Services and Culture, Peter Liu, Chief Financial Officer, James Gullan, Acting Manager Communications and Governance, Emily Williams, Senior Council Business Advisor, Joshua Vearing, Council Business Advisor.
The Council respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge their legacy and spiritual connection to the land and waterways across the City of Port Phillip and pay our heartfelt respect to their Elders, past, present, and emerging.
1. Apologies
Nil.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Moved Crs Halliday/Cunsolo
That Council grants a leave of absence to Councillor Crawford for the period 17 March to 26 March 2026.
A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously.
2. Confirmation of Minutes
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That the minutes of the Meeting of the Port Phillip City Council held on 4 February 2026 be confirmed. A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously. |
3. DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Councillor Jay declared that they would recuse themselves from partaking in consideration of Item 8.1 Future for Aged Care Service Delivery and advised they will leave the meeting during discussion and voting of the item.
CONDOLENCE MOTION – TINA (ATHENA) MILOPOULOS
Tina (Athena) Milopoulos, beloved President of the Port Melbourne Greek Community Senior Citizens Club, who sadly passed away in November 2025.
Moved Crs Cunsolo/Jay
That Council
· Expresses its deep regret on the passing of Tina Milopoulos.
· Offers its sincere condolences to their family; and
· Places on record its appreciation for their service to the City of Port Phillip.
A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously.
4. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME and submissions
Public Questions are summarised below. The submissions were made verbally and can be listened to in full on our website: http://webcast.portphillip.vic.gov.au/archivephp.
Public Question Time:
· Frank Artuso: Aside from Elster Creek Elwood main drain duplication project, what is the current condition and operational status of the other 11 drains entering Port Phillip Bay managed by the City of Port Phillip? Council has allocated $8 million over five years for drain maintenance as advised at last year's Council meeting on 5 February 2025. Is this allocation being affected by inflationary cost pressures, and have any emerging risks or deteriorating drain conditions been identified that may challenge the adequacy of this budget? Does the Barak Beacon housing project have any direct or indirect impact on the Barak Road drain, including capacity, condition, or maintenance requirement? Have all drains under Council management been subject to full CCTV inspections or equivalent investigative assessment? if not, which drains have not yet been assessed?
How many fully constructed and operational Gross Pollutant Traps (GPTs) are currently in the City of Port Phillip (my understanding is 19)? What performance metrics are used to assess the effectiveness of GPTs post installation (e.g. pollutant capture rates, maintenance frequency, cost efficiency)? What is the average installation cost of a GPT, noting that site conditions influence final coat?
Nearly six months after the allocation of $2 million in Federal Government funding under the Resilient Asset Management & Investment (RAMI) initiative, has Council selected a specific system or tool and implemented it to assess and manage an identified high risk flood asses?
Paul Wood, Acting General Manager City Infrastructure advised that a review of the City of Port Phillip’s asset management database indicates that the drains discharging into Port Phillip Bay are currently assessed as functional, structurally sound, and operating within expected performance parameters. Council’s five‑year, $8 million drainage maintenance allocation is being pressured by inflation, with a particular risk being the rising cost of disposing of contaminated soil that surrounds drains. Despite these cost increases, no new signs of widespread deterioration have been identified in the drainage network. The budget is still adequate for the current program, but continued inflation may reduce how much work can be delivered on the drainage network over time, this will be a matter that will be factored in as part of budget planning. Barak Beacon housing was approved by State Government and it is understood that a requirement was that any water discharge is managed within the land, while there may be some indirect impact on the Barak road drain, at this stage we expect this to operate within capacity limitations. Council have encouraged Water Sensitive Urban Design measures within the development to further reduce impacts. Council has around 25,000 assets essential for managing stormwater runoff, which are assessed via cyclical inspections, we do not have CCTV inspections of the whole network but we do have a planned and reactive approach to continue to improve our data and to reflect on the current situation.
In relation to Gross Pollutant Traps (GPTs), Paul Wood advised that there are19 GPTS in Port Phillip. GPTs are inspected every three months, or after significant rain events. Officers measure the amount of litter, debris, and sediment within the units, which are cleaned out when they reach 70% capacity. Each GPT varies in design and characteristics. Therefore it’s difficult to place an average on the cost of each GPT.
The Federal Government funding of $2M is to be used for the delivery of RAMI across nine Councils including City of Port Phillip. At this stage of the RAMI initiative, no system or tool has been selected. The project is currently in Phase 1, which runs until July 2026, and is focused on identifying the key gaps, needs, and opportunities across the nine participating M9 councils. The procurement or selection of tools will not occur until Phase 2, when the project team begins developing a consistent framework and supporting tools for use across all councils. Because the project is still in the discovery and assessment stage, no tool has been implemented and no specific high‑risk flood asset has yet been assessed using a RAMI‑supported method. Phase 2, which runs through to the end of 2027, will develop and test the tools that will ultimately support Councils in assessing and managing climate and flood risks from both financial and asset‑management perspectives.
· Claire Mear: Can Council advise the approximate annual cost of repeatedly removing or painting over the highly offensive graffiti that appears almost daily on the Greaves Street property? What action is Council currently taking in relation to ongoing street camping in this location, and has Council formally engaged with the property owners to develop a proactive solution, rather than relying on reactive graffiti removal and clean-up? We understand the graffiti budget is almost 500k, constantly cleaning is a reactive waste of money that could be spent elsewhere?
Grime Stoppers St Kilda is enquiring about community funding and support. Grime Stoppers St Kilda is a grassroots volunteer group independently cleaning graffiti, litter picking and cleaning public bins to improve amenity and restore community pride. We are fully self-funded and currently covering all equipment and supply costs ourselves. Can Council advise what practical funding pathways, small grants, or in-kind support are available to assist volunteer groups like ours, and how Council can simplify access to support for community-led initiatives delivering tangible local outcomes? What are Council doing to help small groups like us? We have no intention of setting up an ABN nor obtaining $20m public liability insurance.
Paul Wood, Acting General Manager City Infrastructure responded in relation to graffiti and street camping on Greeves Street Council’s annual budget for graffiti removal is $420,000. Council does not allocate costs by suburb or by property, as Council’s operations are organised around programmed works, reactive responses, and the removal of offensive graffiti. This approach allows Council to remain flexible and adjust programs as emerging hotspots arise as all Local Governments have been affected by increasing graffiti. Council removes graffiti from all Council owned assets; Council does not remove graffiti from private property unless in certain circumstances where Council has been provided with the landowner consent. Particularly in relation to Greeves Street, Council has been working with the landowner to address this matter.
Christine Dening, Manager Community Building and Inclusion responded in relation to community funding and support and acknowledged and thanked the contribution of that volunteer groups like Grime Stoppers St Kilda make to local amenity and community pride. Grime stoppers commitment to removing graffiti, collecting litter and helping keep public spaces clean provides real value to the St Kilda community. Christine Dening thanked Claire on behalf of Council for the time and resources invested. To support groups like this, Council offers several pathways for assistance. This includes access to Council’s community grant programs, which can be utilised through an auspice organisation if a group does not have an ABN or Public Liability Insurance. Auspicing enables informal volunteer groups to access funding while ensuring Council meets its governance and risk‑management obligations. Officers can assist in finding a suitable auspice partner. The current grants opportunities include the Quick Response Grant Program, which is open now and provides up to $2,000 for small community projects, and the Annual Community Grants Program, which will open later this year for larger initiatives. Council also encourages subscribing to Council’s Community Sector Newsletter to stay informed about grants, training and other support opportunities. For further guidance or assistance members of the community can contact Council’s Grants and Funding Team, who are available to support community‑led initiatives.
· Angel Lea: Snap send solves of graffiti on power poles or any electrical assets are redirected to CitiPower and Powercor. They themselves don’t remove graffiti and therefore advise you to contact your local Council meaning the quickest and easiest way for many to do instantly doesn’t ideally solve the issue. Local Councils can have an arrangement called a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Citipower/Powercor that enables Councils themselves to safely remove graffiti from electricity assets. Does the Council have this MOU? If not, can Council arrange this MOU, therefore allowing the snap send solve to stay within Council and not be directed to a service that doesn’t do graffiti removal? Have Council in their graffiti plan looked at the benefit and cost of anti-graffiti paint/coating? If not, would Council please look at using this anti-graffiti paint, as it might be beneficial especially with properties such as in Greeves Street for which is regularly painted only to be painted over within seconds with some vile slogans?
Paul Wood, Acting General Manager City Infrastructure advised that the City of Port Phillip does not have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with City Power. City Power are the asset owner of power poles across all Local Government areas, City Power has historically provided graffiti removal services for their infrastructure. However, their current service levels do not align with the expectations of our community or the Council service standards for graffiti removal. To address this, Port Phillip officers are currently collaborating with nine other Local Government authorities (also known as M9) to advocate for a sector-wide MOU.
Councils’ goal is to establish a consistent and improved service standard that better supports communities and aligns with Local Government expectations. Council uses a range of techniques to limit the impact of graffiti on land that is within Councils remit. This includes interventions such as: the installation of street art murals at highly hit locations; greening programs to obscure walls and enhance the local environment; adapting design and surface choices on infrastructure to deter tagging activity (which includes anti-graffiti paint); improvements in lighting, including the use of motion activated sensor lighting; and programs to increase community engagement with, and ownership of, a space.
Council Report Submissions:
Item 11.1 South Melbourne Market Strategic Plan 2026-30 Adoption
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· Ann Byrne |
· Bill O’Laughlin |
Item 8.1 Future for Aged Care Service Delivery
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· Rita Perri |
· Gillian Graves |
· Ada Nardella |
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· Clare Forrest |
· Annab Vaisman |
· Alfonso Salonga |
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· Martina Macey |
· Claire Humphrys |
· Phillip Whiteman |
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· Mari Smith |
· Lisa Canning |
· Laura Alfonso |
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· Liliana Carranza |
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5. Councillor question time
· Councillor Cunsolo: It has been reported that the well-liked hanging flower pots at the Port Melbourne Town Hall have been taken down. Can officers advise why and if they will be reinstated?
Paul Wood, Acting General Manager City Infrastructure took the question on notice.
· Councillor Halliday: There was a question from Frank Artuso about the CCTV drain inspection program. Can we get an idea of how complete that program was for our main drain, our large drains that are connecting out to the bay?
Chris Carroll, Chief Executive Officer took the question on notice.
· Councillor Halliday: Following the fires that had affected Victoria over the last few months, wondering what support the City of Port Phillip has offered to our other Councils who are dealing with the recovery efforts after those fires?
Chris Carroll, Chief Executive Officer advised that Council are focusing on the Crisis Management and Emergency Management maturity at the City of Port Phillip and Council is fortunate to have some experienced consultants working with Council who have connections with many Councils. I am proud that proactively and organically within the organisation, not requiring senior leadership intervention, we’ve had staff involved in offering support on the ground and remotely from the City of Port Phillip for Murrindindi Shire Council who’ve been doing it particularly tough. Council is also working through the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) for additional support for other councils, but particularly Murrindindi Shire Council where they need it.
Kylie Bennetts, General Manager Community Wellbeing added that since Tuesday 3 February Council have had multiple City of Port Phillip staff working on site or remotely with Murrindindi Shire Council to assist in the Longwood bushfire recovery process. That’s included arborists who’ve been working with a secondary impact assessment team, an officer from Council’s environmental health team, a municipal building surveyor, as well as staff from Council’s emergency management and GIS teams.
· Councillor Thomann: There was an announcement on Monday where local MP Josh Burns confirmed a $1.5m commitment for CCTV cameras for Port Melbourne, South Melbourne, and other parts of Balaclava. When will we be able to see that money being spent and cameras on the streets as promised?
Christine Dening, Manager Community Building and Inclusion advised that officers are already starting the process to organise procurement of the CCTV cameras, they will soon be commencing feasibility studies and street audits to understand the locations. This will take some time this year and by the end of the year Council will have identified the locations and confirmed them with Council ahead of installation next year.
Councillor Thomann followed up stating that St Kilda was not part of that funding, but understand that Council is doing other things when it comes to CCTV management in St Kilda. Can officers confirm this?
Christine Dening, Manager Community Building and Inclusion confirmed that St Kilda is included as part of the CCTV expansion project.
Kylie Bennetts, General Manager Community Wellbeing added that with respect to St Kilda, Council has funded a renewal project to renew CCTV cameras in St Kilda and the server that supports those cameras. That is happening through Council funded activity. In terms of the Federal Government funding for CCTV, one of the first things that officers are working on is the procurement of a mobile camera and then as Christine indicated the process for planning for, as well as procuring the network of cameras in other parts of the municipality, will occur.
The Mayor adjourned the meeting for a break at 7:41pm
The meeting resumed at 7:51pm
6. Petitions and Joint Letters
8. A Healthy and Connected Community
Councillor Jay returned to the meeting at 8:54pm.
7. Presentation of CEO Report
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PURPOSE 1.1 To provide Council with a regular update from the Chief Executive Officer regarding Council’s activities and performance. |
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That Council: 3.1 Notes the CEO Report – December 2025 Issue 125 – Second Quarter Review (provided as Attachment 1). 3.2 Authorises the CEO or their delegate to make minor editorial amendments that do not substantially alter the content of the report. A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously. |
9. An Environmentally Sustainable and Resilient City
Nil.
10. A Safe and Liveable City
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10.1 Broadway Bridge Superstructure Deck Replacement, Elwood - RFT000384 - PJ1168 |
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PURPOSE 1.1 To present the Evaluation Report for Tender RFT000384 - PJ1168 Broadway Bridge Superstructure Deck Replacement and to recommend the awarding of the Contract to Waratah Constructions (VIC) Pty Ltd for a total award value of $1,919,340.94 excluding GST ($2,111,275.03 including GST). |
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The following question was taken on notice during discussion of the item: · Councillor Crawford: Will there be measures taken in the reconstruction of this bridge to limit the debris and pollution to go into the canal? I know there is environmental damage but there is also run off into the canal. Has this been considered as part of the tender? I’m not only concerned about the local damage but also what might fall into the canal and then out to the bay. Chris Carroll, Chief Executive Officer advised that generally the environment management plan would consider the broader environmental impacts including runoff but took the question on notice to provide greater detail. |
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Moved Crs Crawford/Cunsolo That Council: 3.1 Awards tender RFT000384 - PJ1168 Broadway Bridge Superstructure Deck Replacement Contract to Waratah Constructions (VIC) Pty Ltd for a total award value of $1,919,340.94 excluding GST ($2,111,275.03 including GST). 3.2 Approves contingency value outlined in Confidential Attachment No. 1. 3.3 Authorises the Chief Executive Officer (or their delegate) to approve variations up to the total proposed approval amount, including contingency, outlined in Confidential Attachment No. 1. 3.4 Notes that the works are expected to commence in May 2026 and completed by November 2026. 3.5 Authorises the Chief Executive Officer, or their delegate, to execute the Contract Document on behalf of Council. A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously. |
11. A Vibrant and Thriving Community
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PURPOSE 1.1 To present the South Melbourne Market Strategic Plan 2026-30 for adoption, a plan to guide Council’s management of the South Melbourne Market to ensure its long-term success. 1.2 To present the South Melbourne Market Strategic Plan Engagement Report, a summary of the outcomes from a community consultation to inform the final Plan with key insights from the community and Market traders. |
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The following question was taken on notice during discussion of the item: · Mayor Makin: The tram route 96 is heavily patronised with market goers. My understanding is that the second largest catchment for the market is Port Melbourne. What understanding do we have of modal share of how Port Melbourne residents get to the market? Sophie McCarthy, Executive Director South Melbourne Market took the question on notice |
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That Council: 3.1 Notes the South Melbourne Market Strategic Plan Community Engagement Report that has informed the final draft of the Strategic Plan 2026-30. (Attachment 2) 3.2 Adopts the South Melbourne Market Strategic Plan 2026-30, a document that will guide the Market and support the vision to be a thriving, authentic local market for generations to come. (Attachment 1) 3.2.1 Amends the first initiative under a ‘Sustainable and Resilient Market’ on page 39 of the Strategic Plan as indicated in bold: Develop and implement a Corporate Social Responsibility framework for the Market: Develop a CSR framework alongside our Environmental Sustainability Strategy to support community groups, charities and educational organisations, ongoing food collection programs, supporting volunteering opportunities, ethical sourcing and operations, and continue to support programs to improve the food security of vulnerable local community members. 3.3 Authorises the Chief Executive Officer, or their delegate to make minor changes to the Strategic plan that do not materially alter its intent. A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously. |
12. An Engaged and Empowered Community
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12.1 S6 Instrument of Delegation - Council to Members of Staff |
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PURPOSE 1.1 To present to Council an updated S6 Instrument of Delegation - Council to Members of Staff. |
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That Council: 3.1 Delegates to the members of Council staff holding, acting in or performing the duties of the offices or positions referred to in the S6 Instrument of Delegation - Council to Members of Staff (Attachment 2) the powers, duties and functions set out in that Instrument, subject to the conditions and limitations specified in that instrument. 3.2 The Common Seal of Council be affixed to the S6 Instrument of Delegation. 3.3 Notes that the S6 Instrument of Delegation comes into force immediately upon resolution and remains in force until Council determines to vary or revoke it. 3.4 On coming into force, the previous S6 Instrument of Delegation - Council to Members of Council Staff (dated 5 November 2025) is revoked. 3.5 Notes that the duties and functions set out in the Instrument must be performed, and the powers set out in the S6 Instrument of Delegation must be executed, in accordance with any policies of Council that it may from time to time adopt. 3.6 Authorises the CEO, or their delegate, to make administrative changes to the document to correct any titles and typographical errors, to enable the documents to be appropriately sealed. A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously. |
13. A Trusted and High-Performing Organisation
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PURPOSE 1.1 To provide Council with an overview of the results of the mid-year 2025/26 Financial review including performance to budget (as required under Section 97 of the Local Government Act 2020) and seek approval for any unbudgeted items. |
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That Council: 3.1 Notes that full year cumulative cash surplus is $0.22 million which is $0.32 million lower than budget of $0.54 million. 3.2 Notes attachment 1 – Financial Statements with accompanying explanatory notes. 3.3 Notes the update to the statutory Coastal Adaptation Plan, which will support Council to manage its increasing coastal hazards, vulnerabilities and risks. The comprehensive plan is expected to be completed by 2027/28 and will include vulnerability assessment informed by updated Melbourne Water flood modelling, as well as the adoption of Council’s Foreshore Management Plan. Extensive consultation and review will be undertaken with the community, key stakeholders, State agencies and Community Reference Group. 3.4 Approves the provisional increase of $650,000 to the 10-year financial plan phased over 2026/27 and 2027/28 to enable completion of the Coastal Adaptation Plan and provides certainty for the fixed-term staff engaged on the project. 3.5 Notes attachment 2 – Portfolio updates. 3.6 Notes in accordance with Section 97(3) of the Local Government Act, the Chief Executive Officer supported by the Chief Financial Officer, concludes that a revised budget for 2025/26 is not required. 3.7 Authorises the Chief Executive Officer, or their delegate, to reflect any changes made by Council at tonight’s meeting, and to make minor typographical corrections (including in any attachments to this report) before final publication. A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously. |
14. Notices of Motion
Nil.
15. Reports by Councillor Delegates
Councillors Jay advised that they attended the Company Directors Course at the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). They advised that it covered topics that were directly relevant to their work as a Councillor and was a valuable training for their role as Councillors.
Councillor Buckingham and Mayor Makin also reported that they attended the Company Directors Course.
16. URGENT BUSINESS
Nil.
EXTENSION OF TIME
Moved Crs Makin/Halliday
That council in line with provision 10.2 of the governance rules extends the meeting on 18 February by 30 minutes (until 10:30pm).
A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously.
17. Confidential Matters
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That Council resolves to move into confidential to deal with the following matters pursuant to section 66(2) of the Local Government Act 2020: 17.1 St Kilda Pier Landside Works - Project Update 3(1)(g(ii)) private commercial information, being information provided by a business, commercial or financial undertaking that if released, would unreasonably expose the business, commercial or financial undertaking to disadvantage. Reason: This report contains the assessment and recommendation arising from a confidential procurement process outlining options available to address a budget shortfall. The costings of these options are commercial in confidence. Disclosure of this information publicly may impact Council's ability to work with the recommended contractor in the delivery of the project. A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously. |
The meeting closed to members of the public at 9:45pm
The meeting reopened to members of the public at 9:55pm
As there was no further business the meeting closed at 9:55pm.
Chairperson ________________________________________