Bayside Council Meeting Update

Hi all, Thanks for the enormous interest and support around the potential indoor sports facility at the new Beaumaris Secondary College. Members of the School Community Group (BSCG) attended and spoke on everyone's behalf at the Bayside City Council meeting at Council Chambers in Brighton on Tuesday 23rd June. Here's an update. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Our group requested the Council potentially make funding available, to enable negotiations with the Department of Education to start. These discussions would consider enlarging the high school stadium from one or two courts to three courts. No commitment of funds was requested by the BSCG.] A range of speakers presented the views of the community as to why the larger facility is needed, including the lack of adequate training facilities in our area, the impact on parents and kids, and the importance of Council being an active and financial stakeholder. There were also speakers from Southern United Hockey and Hockey Victoria, who spoke directly about the benefits of the proposed facility for their sports. The Sandringham Basketball Association (SBA) also cautiously backed the proposal, but prioritised a proposed redevelopment of the existing stadium at Tulip Street. After some debate, Bayside City Council voted four-three against making funding available and therefore against a potential financial investment at the new school. A large part of the rationale given by some Councillors at the meeting was that Council is already committed to a schedule of capital works in Bayside and Beaumaris Secondary is not part of that schedule. Some Councillors also professed to have not discussed the development and argued that such upgraded facilities have never been previously considered. Below is a link to the minutes of the Council meeting - the relevant section is on Page 21. http://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/documents/governance/23_February_2016_Ordinary_Meeting_of_Council_Minutes_without_confidential.pdf We will continue trying to work with Bayside City Council to push for a potential third court to be considered in future capital works programs. Bayside Council will continue to have representation in planning for the new high school with its Director of Corporate Services sitting on the Planning Group. Other sporting and community groups are discussing potential investment to enable alternative funding for a three-court sports facility. The BSCG will ensure there is no delay to the master planning process for the high school itself. Our core focus remains on ensuring a truly world-class Years 7-12 public secondary school is in place and open for our local community in Jan 2018. Thanks so much again for your all your support. Please follow our facebook page (Beaumaris Campus School Future) for future updates. Beaumaris School Community Group https://www.facebook.com/#!/BeauCampusSchoolFuture/?fref=ts