Socialist Party Australia - 1st SP Yarra Council Newsletter

Below is the text from our first Langridge Ward newsletter (Yarra Council, Melbourne) It will be letterboxed to every home in the ward from next week. Email us if you can help with the letterboxing or help with a donation to the costs of this leaflet.
Socialist Party Councillor Stephen Jolly, Langridge Ward, City of Yarra. Langridge Ward covers Collingwood, Fitzroy, Abbotsford, Clifton Hill, Alphington and South Fairfield
Dear Resident,
Thanks for taking the time to read this newsletter. Since becoming the first socialist elected in Australia for many years, I and the Socialist Party (SP) have tried our best to represent the interests of residents, especially those who have missed out in the past such as young people and public housing tenants.

I am pleased that there is much more debate on Council, in the local media, and in the community over Council actions. Last month, for example, 150 children and parents attended the Council meeting demanding more action on Child Care.

I think a socialist presence on Council is putting the heat on the ALP and forcing the Green Party to do more than talk the talk.

Here are the key issues in our area as we see them.

Child Care
THERE IS a big Child Care crisis in Yarra - with over 2100 families on queues for places. The last Council (run by the ALP and Greens) did nothing to improve the situation. SP has led the charge on Council for action. In response, the Council majority have agreed to start investigating which part of Yarra is worst hit. But $100,000 surveys do not create places. I am pushing for Council to build a new child care center in Yarra (see section on ‘Budget’ below for details).

Young People
I INITIATED and then chaired the Youth Advisory Committee that came up with a series of actions to improve job prospects and life in general for young people in the public housing estates. Scandalously we have 1500 young people in this area outside education, training or employment.

The Committee recommendations have been approved and include making Council contractors employ a percentage of local young people; more holiday activities for young people on the estates; more youth workers on the estates; an increase in vacation care places; a new youth drop-in space at Fitzroy; and other small but important improvements.

Banco
WE HAVE worked closely with residents and the Collingwood Action Group to oppose the developer Banco’s plans for the Smith St area, including running a weekly stall on this. I chaired the joint Council/Community Steering Committee to prepare our alternative vision for this part of Yarra. Working in the construction industry, I am obviously not anti-development, however 10-storey towers overshadowing the residents of Little Oxford St is over the top. This development would bring more cars and pollution into Yarra without a single new child care center, low cost housing, library or neighbourhood house. We demand that the State Labor Planning Minister to step in and support the community.

Victoria Park
THE HIERARCHY of Collingwood Football Club has betrayed the millions of Magpie supporters by leaving the holy grail of Vic Park in a terrible mess. They have, in some places, literally gutted the site. I have argued for a strong and public stance from Council in its negotiations with the Collingwood senior executives and lawyers. Collingwood supporters deserve better. I have also worked closely with Abbotsford residents and sporting clubs who want to use the Park to ensure this happens as soon as possible. We want kids using the Oval and Abbotsford residents having access to much needed open space.

Save “The Cottage”!
A CURRENT crisis for people on the (Fitzroy) Atherton Gardens public housing estate is the planned closure of Brotherhood of St Lawrence-run ‘Cottage’ on Napier St. The vital service provides vital programmes to support families with young children under 6 years, especially from low income and emerging communities. There is a toy library, a child development programme, parents groups, an individual counseling service, a community playgroup and more.
v It’s not right that a welfare group like the Brotherhood should have to indefinately pay for these services, which should be the responsibility of State and local government. If necessary there will be community mobilisation to get the bureaucrats and politicians to act.

This year’s Council budget
THE COUNCIL’S 2005/6 Budget will mean a 5.9% increase in rate revenue. It is ironic that the Socialist Party is the only party opposed to the milking of ratepayer’s year in, year out. It seems it is easier for Council to raise money from ratepayers than take on the State and Federal government over cuts in grants to Council.

We believe it is wrong for the budget to spend more on improving a playground in Richmond than all the child care centers added up together. The budget has $2.2 million for advertising, publicity and for consultants - which is enough money to make meals on wheels free in Yarra and still have $1.7 million left over! Yarra’s vital Financial and Crisis Counselling service is to receive only $31,000 this year compared to $83,805 two years ago.

What’s our alternative?
1. A LESS top heavy management structure and less spent on consultants would free up money for more socially-useful operating costs such as job creation for unemployed youth and lower fees for Council services. The community wants workers on the front line - for example there is no money for a second footpath trading officer, leaving only the one current officer to police over 1000 businesses. Yet Yarra is backed tight full of management - which slows down decision-making and costs rate payers.

2. LESS MONEY on pet projects or expensive plans like the $1 million on information systems would add millions for use for three big projects that the Socialist Party stands for: A new child care center, a new North Fitzroy library, and a new indoor sports facility for Yarra. These three projects would be both a social and economic asset to Yarra.

3. If COUNCIL paid their debt back at an average pace rather than throwing money at the banks, we would have millions more for important projects. For example, Yarra will spend a huge $2.7 million on debt repayment to the banks this year. The State government recommends that total debt for a Council must be 60% of rate revenue or less - for Yarra this year it is only 29%. A three year debt freeze would still leave Yarra ahead of State government guidelines and would allow $10 million to be spent on progressive capital works projects such as the three the Socialist Party stands for.

USEFUL INFORMATION
All residents can ask questions at the monthly Council meetings - this helps get things done. See below for times of Council meetings

We have a SP Council web page, including a diary updated almost daily, which includes an email list you can subscribe to:
socialistpartyaustralia.org/council

* We run a weekly SP Council stall outside Safeways in Smith St, Collingwood, every Saturday from 12pm to 1pm. Come down for a chat with Stephen and other SP members!

CONTACT DETAILS
For Stephen Jolly
Web site:
socialistpartyaustralia.org/council
Postal address: PO Box 1015, Collingwood 3066

For Socialist Party
City branch meet every Tuesday at 7pm at Trades Hall, cnr Lygon and Victoria Sts, Carlton South. All welcome
Northern branch meet every Thursday at 7pm at radio station 3CR, 21 Smith St, Collingwood
Web site: socialistpartyaustralia.org
Postal address: PO Box 1015, Collingwood
Office street address: 1st Floor, Trades Hall, cnr Lygon and Victoria Sts, Carlton South

For Yarra Council
Web site: www.yarracity.vic.gov.au
Postal address: PO Box 168, Richmond 3121
For specific areas of Council

Council meetings
Council meetings are on the second Tuesday of every month, from 7.30pm, at Richmond Town Hall, 333 Bridge Rd.

Planning and Community Development meetings are on every first Tuesday of the month, 8pm, Richmond Town Hall.
Finance Committee on the same night and venue from 6.30pm