Council

Mayor Louise Crawford and Deputy Mayor Bryan Mears attended the recent Mayors Combatting Antisemitism Summit on the Gold Coast. They provided this report for TWiSK.

Housing First has started construction of 68 new homes in Balaclava in partnership with Homes Victoria

A delegation from the public will now be able to present at Council meetings after a series of changes to governance rules were narrowly passed at last Tuesday’s meeting. However, the process to initiate a delegation is yet to be worked out. TWiSK reports on this and other changes.

TWiSK has branded the 2 September Council agenda as ‘Tricky Tuesday’ in recognition of the Council’s desire to keep some ‘tricky’ issues on the ‘QT’.

Council is hoping to finish landscaping and other works on the landside of St Kilda Pier before the St Kilda Festival

The final decision on a proposed 21-day closure of Albert Park Lake now rests with Upper House MPs after the Lower House passed the Allan Government’s Australian Grands Prix Amendment Bill 2025. Sports clubs and other recreational users of Albert Park are furious about the extended encroachment into their activities.

Concerns have been raised after a park volunteer was assaulted by an aggressive man from the encampment near the Ngargee Tree in Albert Park Reserve. Park volunteers have told TWiSK that the camp has been there for over 19 weeks.

East St Kilda / Balaclava will be the first precinct to receive the Urban Forest treatment under a bold plan to lift tree canopy from 20% to 30% by 2040.

Councillors have backed a plan to expand off-leash dog areas across Port Phillip including a major expansion of access to Elwood Beach over summer.

Repeated food handling breaches by former St Kilda trader Lux Kebabs have resulted in fines and legal costs totalling $62,524 at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.