Bayside City Council

Bayside Community Forum on Victorian Government Planning Reforms 🗺️ Thank you to the more than 200 members of the Bayside community who attended our forum last night - either in person or online. Our expert panel responded to questions from the audience and provided an informative update on the Victorian Government's projects and planning reforms. The reforms include changes to planning controls that propose greater building heights and planning control changes in Brighton, Hampton, Sandringham, Hampton East, Brighton East, Highett, Cheltenham and Pennydale which could impact our community. Council is committed to informing our community on the proposed changes and advocating to the Victorian Government to ensure Bayside continues to be the place we love. Via the link below, you can: • Watch a recording of the forum • View the forum slides • View the forum information pack. 🔗 Learn more: https://brnw.ch/21wPvVt [Images: photos taken at the Bayside Community Forum. 1: Mayor Cr Hanna El Mouallem addressing attendees next to the panellists (from left to right) Terry Montebello, Nicola Smith, Mike Scott, Michael Buxton, Jim Holdsworth, and matthew cripps. 2. The panellists in discussion.] #BaysideCityCouncil Kelly Archibald

Big goals are being kicked at Boss James Reserve with its refurbished pavilion now fully operational. 🏈 The $3.8 m sustainably built facility in Hampton caters for the changing needs of the resident clubs and will support players of all genders and abilities. The opening celebrates the 22nd completed as part of Council’s $52 million investment to improve all sporting pavilions in Bayside by 2025. We have delivered an environmentally conscious building that reflects the changing needs of community sport. The new pavilion will support players of all genders and abilities and provides shelter for spectators. Key elements include: • accessible and gender inclusive changerooms and umpire facilities • public toilet • increased storage facilities and a community space for broader community use • custom-built shed adjacent to the existing cricket nets to store essential club equipment • improved sustainability features including solar panels on the roof, water-heating systems, and electrical appliances to remove use of natural gas, and sensor lighting throughout the building • spacious under cover area • remarking of accessible car park and additional DDA compliant connective pathway. Take a look at its transformation through a time lapse installed throughout the duration of the project. 🔗 Find out more: https://lnkd.in/ga6ziAKy [Video description: timelapse of the refurbished pavilion at Boss James Reserve.] #BaysideCityCouncil

Our Youth Services team recently collaborated with SANDRINGHAM COLLEGE on Brain Bloom, a project designed to empower young people to improve their mental health. 🧠 Through the Brain Bloom initiative, students at Sandringham College researched and brought to life projects that increased mental health literacy, decreased stigma around mental health, and increased knowledge of youth mental health support services among their peers. Here’s a snapshot of some of the amazing projects the students delivered: 🐹 Guinea pig therapy: encouraging cuddles and interaction with animals to boost mental wellbeing through endorphin release 🍪 Community-driven fundraising: a "pay what you can" cookie drive with funds going towards local Headspace services in Bentleigh and Elsternwick 🎯 Affirmation stress balls: stress balls and fidgets featuring positive affirmations to help students stay focused in class. The students also organised bake sales and sausage sizzles to raise awareness for ADHD and anxiety. Well done to the Bayside Youth Team and the passionate students at Sandringham College, along with their dedicated teachers and Wellbeing Team for prioritising this initiative. [Images: photos taken throughout the Brain Bloom projects, including pictures of the guinea pigs, cookie drive and affirmation stress balls.] #BaysideCityCouncil #BaysideYouthServices #YouthMentalHealth #WellbeingInitiative #StudentLeadership #CommunityImpact #Education #MentalHealthAwareness #StudentWellbeing

📢 Victorian Government planning reforms to damage the fabric of Bayside Statement from Bayside Mayor Cr Hanna El Mouallem: Changes to planning foreshadowed by the Victorian Government’s housing program will have a fundamental impact on our Bayside suburbs. While the government seeks to paint Baysiders as intent on blocking housing development, Council is instead focused on protecting what makes our suburbs some of the most liveable areas in the state and country - for both current and future residents. In the absence of any real detail on the expansion of the activity centre program, Council and the community can only base our grave concerns on the experience of the Moorabbin activity centre. The state’s process to engage with, and respond to, Council and the community’s concerns with the activity centre program to date has been shallow and highly unsatisfactory. The expansion of the activity centre program will allow the Victorian Government to seize control of planning for approximately 47% of Bayside. In the absence of any real detail, we are estimating that the proposed new “train and tram zone” activity centres at North Brighton, Middle Brighton, Hampton and Sandringham and “walkable catchment areas up to 800m from the station” will consume the majority of the northern and middle sections of Bayside. 🔗 To read the Mayor's full statement: https://lnkd.in/guMTT75Q #BaysideCityCouncil

Meet our new Mayor, Cr Hanna El Mouallem, Dendy Ward, Bayside City Council 👏 Cr Hanna El Mouallem was elected 2024-25 Mayor of Bayside at the Annual Meeting of Council last night. A Bayside resident of 25 years, Cr El Mouallem represents Dendy ward. He has a strong commitment to our community and a long held passion for enhancing local liveability. This is Cr El Mouallem’s second term as Mayor. He was first elected to Bayside City Council in November 2020 and re-elected in October 2024. He served as Mayor in 2022-23, Deputy Mayor in 2021-22 and Chair of the Planning and Amenity Delegated Committee for 2021-22 and 2023-24. Councillor Debbie Taylor-Haynes was elected Deputy Mayor. Councillor Andrew Hockley was also elected as Chair of the Planning and Amenity Committee. 🔗 To learn more about our new Mayor Cr Hanna El Mouallem, visit: https://brnw.ch/21wONs8 [Image description: a photo of newly elected Mayor Cr Hanna El Mouallem at the Annual Meeting of Council on 19 November 2024.] #BaysideCityCouncil #NewMayor

This morning Ivison Ward Councillor Cr Andrew Hockley and Rose Paduano, BayCISS Executive Officer, hosted Peter Dutton, Leader of the Opposition; Jane Hume, Senator for Victoria and Tim Wilson, candidate for Goldstein on a visit to BayCISS in Hampton East to advocate for up to $5 million in funding to upgrade BayCISS’ facility. BayCISS has been providing food relief, counselling, case work support, and referral pathways to the local community since 1973. The service has responded to more than 6,730 requests for assistance over the past 12 months, including a 30% increase in demand for food relief. Many vulnerable Bayside residents rely on their support. Council provides BayCISS with an annual grant to support its operations and supplement funding from other levels of government, and the service operates out of a Council owned building which is reaching the end of its useable life. We are also funding a $150k renovation to help address the building’s operational limitations to support the significant increase in demand for services. Council is committed to supporting vulnerable members of our community and is joining BayCISS in calling for funding for new, fit-for-purpose facilities. We are advocating for at least $5 million in funding from the Victorian and Australian Governments for new premises to enable BayCISS to continue to provide its essential services locally. [Image description: left to right: Andrew Hockley, Tim Wilson, Rose Paduano, Peter Dutton and Jane Hume, standing in front of the BayCISS building.] #BaysideCityCouncil #BayCISS

Bayside Care and Support is now providing aged care services within Glen Eira City Council 💓 We are excited to announce we have successfully launched in-home and social support services within Glen Eira. This expansion represents a significant collaboration between the two councils, aimed at providing the highest level of care for older residents. The smooth and considered transition has ensured clients formerly receiving aged care services from Glen Eira City Council will continue to do so without interruption, as Bayside Care and Support automatically commenced delivering services today, 11 November. We are one of a small number of Melbourne Metropolitan councils who resolved to continue to deliver in-home care services when the Australian Government’s aged care reforms are fully implemented. We have delivered services for more than 50 years and have a strong and trusted reputation within the community and have developed invaluable expertise in the sector. 🔗 To learn more, click the link in comments. [Image description: four carers standing in the garden.] #BaysideCityCouncil #AgedCare #CommunityCare #GlenEira

New Bayside City Council elected 📢 The seven Councillors were declared elected today by the Victorian Electoral Commission. One Councillor will represent each of the seven wards in Bayside over the 2024-28 Council term. The Council includes six first-time Councillors. The Councillors are: • Beckett Ward – Debbie Taylor-Haynes • Bleazby Ward – Robert Irlicht • Boyd Ward – Kylie McIntosh • Castlefield Ward – Elli Murray • Dendy Ward – Hanna El Mouallem • Ebden Ward – Geoff Leigh • Ivison Ward – Andrew Hockley. The Annual General Meeting of Council will be held on 19 November. The Councillors will elect the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and other official positions of Council at this meeting. This is Bayside’s ninth Council, marking 30 years since the amalgamation of the former City of Sandringham, City of Brighton and parts of the Cities of Moorabbin and Mordialloc in 1994. Thank you to all 69 candidates who nominated for this year’s election, and Bayside residents for making their voice heard. [Image description: the new Bayside Councillors for the 2024-28 Council term.] #BaysideCityCouncil #Election #VEC #LocalCouncilElection

Last month, Fern Street Children's Centre in Black Rock won Best New Kindergarten/Early Learning Centre at the 2024 Victorian School Design Awards, recognising Zen Architects' innovative and sustainable design. 🌿🏆 With almost 80% of Bayside families choosing community kindergarten for their 3 and 4-year-olds, the design and functionality of our facilities is extremely important. The Centre, which opened in term 1 2024, has been constructed with natural elements and vaulted ceilings that draw in natural light, creating a calming and inspiring place to learn and grow. The site has been landscaped to provide a children’s sensory experience linking to FG Tricks Reserve, using existing native trees in the playspaces. We’re very proud of this achievement and are committed to providing early years’ facilities to meet the needs of our community now and into the future. 🔗 More on Fern Street Children’s Centre: https://brnw.ch/21wOoWt [Image description: the exterior of Fern Street Children’s Centre.] #BaysideCityCouncil #EarlyEducation #ArchitectureAward #CommunityKindergarten #SustainableDesign

We’re thrilled to announce we won the Community Engagement Success of the Year Award for our Roving Repairs Program at the Waste Innovation & Recycling Awards last week. The Roving Repairs Program is a series of hands-on workshops that aims to reduce waste by encouraging our community to repair and reuse what they otherwise would have sent to landfill - everything from textiles, to electronics, to bicycles. Over the past year, we've hosted 11 successful events, resulting in: ♻️ Waste reduction and circular economy promotion through skill building 📍 Widespread community participation at our events all over Bayside 🤝 Community connections built through social engagement over repairing things ❤️ A solid network of volunteers sharing their incredible expertise. Looking ahead, we're planning a permanent repair space at our waste transfer station, with more events lined up for 2025. Special thanks to our fantastic Waste and Recycling team, Let Me Be Frank and Sustainability Victoria, our amazing volunteers, and the Bayside community for being such enthusiastic participants. 🔗 Learn more about our Roving Repairs program: https://brnw.ch/21wOfzn [Image description: our Waste and Recycling team at the Waste Innovation & Recycling Awards last week.] #BaysideCityCouncil #AwardWinning #Sustainability #WasteReduction #CircularEconomy #RepairAndReuse