Comrades.



At the Planning and Community Development Committee meeting last night Councillors unanimously accepted a report that, amongst other things, establishes a Steering Committee of Councillors and community group reps (from CAG, 3068 etc) to oversee the development of an interim structure plan (a set of controls and rules over development) for the Smith St area. This marks the end of the beginning of this bitter process over Smith St and the start of the real work - working out what type of city we want built in the next years.



Last nights decision stems directly from the CAG resolution passed at the public meeting on March 23rd which sought to get community control or at least greater influence over this process. CAG and others (including SP) believed that Council should have started the work to get a community-endorsed structure plan many months ago. Now at the last minute, Council tried to rush it through undemocratically. The legacy of the March 23rd public meeting is that the community flexed their muscles and now are part of process, not on the outside with their noses on the window.



I was reported in the Melbourne Times today as warning the State Planning Minister, Rob Hulls, that if he approved the Banco development we would take to the streets. He would be better adviced taking our advice: 'Call In' the Banco application (that is take it out of VCAT's hands and make the decision himself, as he can do in emergency situations), and then wait until our Steering Committee and Council sort out our alternative for the area (an interim structure plan). We aim to have the plan ready for Council approval in June which will mean very tough work starting almost immediately. The Minister can then use the interim structure plan to modify Banco's application.



The main sticking point last night was whether or not the Steering Committee would use the work already done by Council officers as the basis for their deliberations. The Mayor and the Planning Department were concerned that this work would be ignored or torn up by the Steering Committee and we would never finish the interim structure plan on time.



On the other hand community groups believed there were weaknesses in document (I outlined the key ones at the public meeting) and they didn't want to be tied alone to it. In reality this issue is a storm in a teacup in that no-one seriously thinks we can ignore the work done by Council officers already, especially the data accumulated - however the work submitted by experts such as Miles Lewis and groups like 3068 will also play a vital role.



We want an interim structure plan finished on time, that has strict height controls, setbacks, heritage protection, and provision of low cost housing and social services in all bigger developments in Yarra. This will give clarity to developers (who need us more than we need them) and more importantly give protection to residents.

Comrades

This is an article I wrote for the April 2005 issue of SP's newspaper, The Socialist...





Making socialism relevant



First of a regular column in 'The Socialist' from SP Councillor Stephen Jolly, Yarra City Council, Langridge Ward (Collingwood, Fitzroy, Abbotsford, Clifton Hill, Alphington and South Fairfield in Melbourne)



I was asked recently by ALP Mayor (of Yarra City) Kay Meadows as to how our party views the role of a Councillor: “Are you still an activist or are you now part of governing Yarra?”



It’s a fair question and has been discussed inside the Socialist Party itself and between SP and our other Councillors and MPs worldwide in our sister parties in the Committee for a Workers’International. We believe that the job of a Socialist Party Councillor is to be the voice of ordinary people, raising their concerns on a bigger stage than would be normal; to use the position to help mobilise the community to affect change; and to raise the socialist alternative to the neo-liberal mantra of the major parties.



The Socialist Party is starting this process in Yarra City Council but obviously similiar concerns and the same kind of response would apply in councils and at other government levels throughout Australia. Where I (as 1 socialist councillor amongst 9) can affect change directly I will obviously do so and we are very proud of the many small victories we have won since the November 27th election (see web site details below) - however big victories will only come as a result of community mobilisation.



A SP Councillor can fast-track such mobilisation (be a catalyst even), but they cannot replace it.



The number one task for me at the moment is reflecting the needs of the public housing tenants (there are over 94% people unemployed on the Collingwood estate!). I chair a new Youth Advisory Committee that intends to present to Council in April a series of actions to help find jobs and training for working class youth, boost youth programmes and services, and most importantly involve young people in the provision of services.



Another huge issue is Child Care, with over 600 families on the waiting list for a place in Yarra. The local community is beginning to organise a campaign to get more child care places in Yarra and SP has been part of this process, and I will fight on the inside for big improvements to child care in this years budget.



Council held a big public meeting on the Banco development in Collingwood on March 23rd and planning department officers presented their alternative for the area. This meeting came about because of SP pressure and we support the resolution that was passed on the night from the floor that rejected the top-down approach of the Council and demanded community control of the process (a 9 person committee was elected to this effect). We intend to work with the local community, in particular the Collingwood Action Group, to ensure Council’s alternative plan has strict legally enforcable limits on heights etc and strong guidelines in favour of low cost housing and big developer contributions to social services in the area.



Much of my time is taken up with bread and butter issues of planning, parking, noise and traffic issues. By being responsive on these issues, I can build up the credibility for socialism and our way of operating. However I also get calls on issues as diverse as apprentices, Aboriginal rights, and even a call on what Yarra Council intended to do to stop China invading Taiwan!



Our weekly stall outside Safeways in Smith St, Collingwood - every Saturday at 12 noon - is getting a better response everyweek.



What’s clear is this: we have done some good work, but we need more socialist councillors and more community action to take things to the next level.



I urge all readers of The Socialist to visit our SP Council web site at socialistpartyaustralia.org/council/ to keep up to date with the issues.