- Home
- About the council
- News and media
- Council meeting catchup - 20 August 2025
- Council meeting recap
Council meeting catchup - 20 August 2025
The 20 August 2025 Council Meeting was held at St Kilda Town Hall.
Items Actioned
- New dog off-leash areas in several locations across the City including extended beach areas and access, and a new fenced dog park at Fennell Reserve in Port Melbourne.
- The Balaclava and East St Kilda Urban Forest Precinct Plan endorsed.
Council meeting agenda
Wayne ‘Mouse’ Thompson, a vibrant and influential locals, known for his iconic in-line skate shop, Apache Junction on Acland Street who sadly passed away on 2 August 2025.
Moved Crs Jay/Thomann
That Council:
Expresses its deep regret on the passing of Wayne ‘Mouse’ Thompson.
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.
PURPOSE
1.1 To seek Council’s approval of amendments to Council Order No. 5 to give effect to changes to dog on and off-leash areas (designated areas and prohibited areas).Moved Crs Crawford/Makin
Councillor Cunsolo moved an alternate motion to the officers recommendation to introduce a trial of dog waste bags.
That Council:
3.1 Adopts Council Order No. 5 (Attachment 1) under section 26 of the Domestic Animals Act 1994 and authorises the Chief Executive Officer (or delegate) to make any minor editorial amendments to finalise Council Order No. 5 for gazettal.
3.2 Notes the gazettal will make the following updates to dog off leash areas:
3.2.1 Fennell Reserve in Port Melbourne to be designated as a dog off-leash area.
3.2.2 The section of Port Melbourne beach between Station Pier and Bay Street to be designated as a dog off-leash area between 7:30 PM and 10:00 AM the next day during summer (1 November to 31 March).
3.2.3 The section of Elwood Beach between Point Ormond to the rock groyne in front of Elwood Angling Club to be designated as a dog off-leash area between 7:30 PM and 10:00 AM the next day during summer (1 November to 31 March).
3.2.4 The Community Synthetic Ground (Pitch 3) at JL Murphy Reserve to be changed to a dog prohibited area.
3.3 Notes the gazettal will also include approved amendments to the ‘cat curfew’ and ‘commercial dog walking’ restrictions approved by Council’s Domestic Animal Management Plan at Council’s Ordinary Council Meeting on 6 August 2025.
3.4 Notes that Order No. 5 will be published in the Government Gazette and in a newspaper circulating in the municipal district of Council.
3.5 Notes that Council Order No. 5 will take effect, once published in the Government Gazette, and Council Order No. 4 will subsequently cease at that time.
3.6 Notes that no changes will be made to the current conditions at SS Anderson (Pitch 1) at JL Murphy Reserve, North Port Oval, Robinson Reserve and Howe Crescent Reserve West.
3.7 Requests Council officers investigate changing Anzac Gardens in South Melbourne, Point Ormond Reserve and the section of beach north of the Point Ormond rock groyne in Elwood to a dog off-leash area, subject to heritage advice and community engagement.
3.8 Resolves to make the current gate opening arrangement (7:30 PM to 7:00 AM) a permanent operational measure at Eastern Reserve North.
3.9 Notes that when the Places for People: Public Space Strategy 2022-32 is next reviewed it will include an updated action to continue to undertake further planning work to identify appropriate sites for dog off-leash areas across the municipality.
A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously.
PURPOSE
1.1 To present the new Balaclava and East St Kilda Urban Forest Precinct Plan for Council adoption
Moved Crs Halliday/Buckingham
That Council:
3.1 Adopts the Balaclava and East St Kilda Urban Forest Precinct Plan as outlined in Attachments 1 and 2 and delegates authority to the CEO to make minor editorial changes that do not materially alter the content, to finalise the document for publication.
3.2 Notes that the Plan includes initial funding for primary projects dentified in the action plan, and that a municipality wide review of secondary projects will be undertaken once all nine Urban Forest Precinct Plans are complete. Projects not currentlyfunded will be considered for external grant opportunities and future Council budget processes to ensure fair and equitable delivery across the municipality.
3.3 Notes that one Urban Forest Precinct Plan has been delivered in the first 12 months of the Urban Forest Strategy allowing for the development of a template to guide future plans.
3.4 Notes the remaining eight Urban Forest Precinct Plans will be delivered by the end of the 2026/27 financial year and that the Urban Forest Strategy will be updated to reflect this revised timeline.
3.5 Thanks residents and community members who submitted a petition noted by Council on 18 June 2025, which requested the inclusion of the area bounded by St Kilda Road Inkerman Street – Chapel Street – Dandenong Road within the current planning phase of the Urban Forest Precinct Plan.
3.6 Notes and requests that officers advise the lead petitioner that:
3.6.1 As part of the Urban Forest Strategy development, the municipality was divided into neighbourhoods to enable a more targeted and place-based approach to managing the urban forest. These neighbourhood boundaries align with those established in the Places for People: Public Space Strategy 2022–2032.
3.6.2 The area highlighted in the petition will be included in the St Kilda and St Kilda West Urban Forest Precinct Plan, which is scheduled for delivery within the next two financial years.
3.6.3 To ensure consistency across all precincts each plan will be developed in alignment with the principles and objectives outlined in the Urban Forest Strategy. This ensures a unified approach to achieving targets and measurable outcomes including increasing urban canopy cover, enhancing species diversity, improving vegetation health, and boosting biodiversity.
3.6.4 In developing the Balaclava & East St Kilda Urban Forest Precinct Plan, walkability analysis extended beyond neighbourhood boundaries to include nearby activity centres such as Windsor, Orrong Road, and Glen Eira Avenue. This broader approach will be applied to future precinct plans to ensure broader connectivity and integration across adjacent areas.
A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously.
PURPOSE
1.1 To provide a Council position for a request to the Minister for Planning to prepare, adopt and approve Amendment C218port into the Port Phillip Planning Scheme for 264-270 Normanby Road, South Melbourne.
Moved Crs Halliday/Makin
That Council:
Recommendation – Part A
3.1 That Council advise the Minister for Planning via the Department of Transport and Planning, that the following information is required prior to progressing to a decision:
a)
Design changes arising from a minimum 10 metre tower setback from Normanby Road.
b)
Further detail regarding the proposed façade strategy, landscaping and public realm outcomes.
c)
Further details addressing Environment Sustainable Design (ESD) considerations, specifically.Recommendation – Part B
3.2 In the event that the application for a Planning Scheme Amendment is supported in its current form, Council recommends the Incorporated Document include the following amendments:
a)
Increase the tower setback from Normanby Road to a minimum of 10 metres.
b)
Replacement of podium-level finishes with higher quality materials, such as brick or other durable and visually appropriate alternatives.
c)
Improvements to the ground floor layout and access arrangements to ensure universal accessibility to the building.
d)
Wind amelioration treatments that create a comfortable pedestrian environment within the public realm, with such treatments appropriately integrated into the building’s architectural design.
e)
A revised Landscape Plan and Public Realm Plan.
f)
A Sustainability Management Plan (SMP) and Water Sensitive Urban Design Response (WSUDR) demonstrating how the proposed development will achieve a minimum 5 Star Green Star Buildings rating, including relevant credits.
g)
A Water Sensitive Urban Design Response (WSUDR) utilising MUSIC modelling and incorporating a rainwater tank with a minimum effective volume of 0.5 cubic metres per 10 square metres of catchment area.Recommendation – Part C
3.3 That Council authorise the Manager City Development to instruct Council’s Statutory Planners and / or Council’s advocate with the Minister for Planning in relation to design changes on any future Standing Advisory Committee hearing /or any independent advisory committee appointed by the Minister for Planning to consider the applications, or design changes.A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously.
PURPOSE
1.1 To seek Council’s endorsement to progress Amendment C224port, which corrects errors and anomalies in the Port Phillip Planning Scheme and request Ministerial approval.
Moved Crs Jay/Hardy
That Council:
3.1 Requests officers lodge a request via the online Amendment Tracking System to the Minister for Planning to prepare and approve Amendment C224port to the Port Phillip Planning Scheme to make updates and address technical corrections, pursuant to Section 20(A) of the Planning and Environment Act 1987, and generally in accordance with the documentation provided at Attachment 1 & 2 of this report.
3.2 Authorises the Chief Executive Officer (or their delegate) to make minor changes to the C224port Amendment documents to correct any drafting errors identified by officers or the Department of Transport and Planning, provided those changes do not materially alter the overall intent of the Planning Scheme Amendment.
A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously.
PURPOSE
1.1 To seek Council’s adoption of the updated Audit and Risk Committee Charter 2025.
Moved Crs Makin/Halliday
That Council:
3.1 Adopts the updated Audit and Risk Committee Charter (Attachment 1) and
3.2 Notes that the updated Charter will be published on Council’s website.
3.3 Authorises the Chief Executive Officer, or their delegate to make minor amendments that do not materially alter the Charter.
A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously.
PURPOSE
1.1 To present the Audit and Risk Committee Biannual Report as at 30 June 2025.
Moved Crs Crawford/Mears
That Council:
3.1 Notes the Audit and Risk Committee Biannual Report as of 30 June 2025, which details activities of the Committee covering scheduled meetings held 25 February 2025, 15 May 2025 (annual workshop) and 24 June 2025.
A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously.
More information
To view the full agenda, upcoming or past Council meeting minutes and relevant attachments, visit our Meetings and Agendas - City of Port Phillip
Please note: The minutes of the Council meeting will be confirmed at the next meeting.