Stop the Evictions of Senior Citizens by Bayside Council
Where it Started:
On Monday 26th September 2011, tenants of the Independent Living Units (for Senior Citizens) at Beaumaris and Sandringham received a letter from Bayside Council to inform them that Council would be meeting with them individually on Wednesday 28th September. At those meetings, the tenants were told by Bayside Council that the units were being closed and the tenants would have to move.
The tenants were informed that a ‘Relocation Unit’ had been set up by Council. A ‘Relocation Kit’ (with informative fridge-magnet & phone number) was given to each tenant to help them in their move.
The decision to close the Units was apparently in response to a ‘review’(?) which found that the buildings in Haldane St and Dalgetty Rd Beaumaris and Sandringham Rd Sandringham would require major investment in coming years to maintain their suitability. The ‘review’ referred to by Bayside Council has not, at this stage, been made available to the tenants or any members of the public.
Save Childcare Centres from Closure by Bayside Council
Where it Started:
On Friday 21st October 2011, parents collecting their children from childcare were met at both the Sandringham and Hampton centres by Bayside City Council employees, who advised us that the Council had decided to close our childcare centres. The closures, they informed us, would take effect over a two-year transition period, starting with the Hampton room for 0-2yo children in just two months (December 2011). Other families were notified by an Express Post letter scheduled to arrive at their home address on Friday afternoon. Some parents are still waiting to be formally notified.
Parents and staff were all in shock – this decision had come with no prior warning or consultation.
It was indicated that the Hampton Centre would close entirely in December 2012, along with the Sandringham 0-2 room, followed by the Sandringham Centre’s final closure in December 2013. Bayside has indicated it will review the centres’ functionality every three months during this transition period, with the effect that the centres could close at anytime.
How was the Decision made?
This decision affecting community service provision was made in a closed council meeting with the minutes of the meeting unpublished. There is no public record of the decision making process. We have established that the vote was carried in favour of closing the centres 5:2.
Bayside has blamed the closures on the introduction of Federal Government legislative changes, which are being implemented over the next four years, commencing with increased carer ratios for children aged under three. Starting January 2012, the ratio will increase to one carer for every four children, instead of one for every five.
These legislative changes have been on the table for a number of years and have been the subject of public consultation and open discussion in the majority of neighbouring (and indeed national) municipalities. Municipalities, including Port Phillip, Kingston and Glen Eira, have worked with their communities to accommodate the new rules, ensuring council-run centres of similar sizes are continuing to function and flourish.
Things you can do…
Sign the Save Bayside Community Childcare On-Line Petition – HERE
Visit the Save Bayside Community Childcare FaceBook page – HERE
