1.

Meeting Details

Chair: Simon Harvey

Minute Taker: Fran Araneda

Location: Zoom Meeting

2.

Welcome

·       Welcome: To members and special guests.

·       Attendees: Simon Harvey, Fran Araneda, Maritza Araneda, Therese Fitzgerald, Tony Ceddia, Liz Forbes, Moira Yffer, John Widmer, Nikki Gaskell, Sheila Byard.

·       Apologies: Rohan Leppert, Stephen Alomes.

3.

House Keeping                                                             

Matters outstanding from previous meeting

·       CoRBA Membership – No response yet.

·       Milly Adamson (Strategic Planner, City of Melbourne) undertook to provide further details around the bike path between the river and Dynon Road – Still pending.

·       Questions to CoM – The Lord Mayor’s office provided addition information in relation to outstanding questions from February’s meeting. One of those questions related to the $100m allocated by the State Government and CoM (50/50) in relation to remediation work associated with the West Gate Tunnel. CoM advised that it will be spent over a long period (up to 6 years) and it will be allocated to projects with joint VPA and CoM input; nothing has been spent to this point.

·       Simon responded with the following additional questions:

o   Moonee Ponds Creek (MPC) – What is happening and in what timeframe?

o   Who is managing the land now, in particularly around Macaulay Station?

o   How does this fit with the Macaulay Structural Plan?

o   What is the ‘mechanism of negotiation’ with respect to Open Space?

o   What is CoM doing in relation to population and infrastructure planning?

·       The meeting discussed the lack of information around funding for the initiatives proposed under the draft Moonee Ponds Creek Strategic Opportunities Plan.

·       Action: Simon to speak with Rohan Leppert about this, to get some advice as to what to ask in order to get some clearer answers.

·       The draft Macaulay Structure Plan Refresh is being discussed at the Future Melbourne Committee (“FMC”) meeting on Tuesday. 

·       Minutes from the May meeting passed by Therese and Maritza.

Correspondence In/Out

·       Correspondence with the Lord Mayor’s office as per above.

4.

General Business & Reports

Treasurer and Membership Secretary’s Report – Tony

·       No outgoings in June; Membership renewals only funds coming in for the month.

·       Tony has had some issues issuing and sending receipts to members. Please contact the Association if you renewed your membership and did not receive a receipt.

·       Tony has submitted an application to allow for membership payments via credit cards. This requires a privacy policy as well as the ‘capture’ of payment details via our website (the cost for this development is approx. $600 and will take up to a week). A draft of last year’s AGM minutes was provided to eWAY (credit card payment provider) to evidence the appointment of executive positions.

·       We have now moved our belongings to a smaller, more compact unit at National Storage in Macaulay Rd. The new unit easily accommodated what we had apart from the two large banners which have found a temporary home at Simon/Moira’s house. The new unit is half the cost of the previous unit and will save us $46 per month. The credit has been applied to extend the rent of the new unit until 9/11/2021. 

·       The Kensington Town Hall will be closed for the rest of July.

·       Tony is in the process of completing a grant application with the CoM to cover admin costs/expenses ($1,500). Tony is talking to Mel to see if we can get additional funding to cover the costs associated with the credit card set up. 

·       Melbourne Metro Rail Project (“MMRP”) Report – Therese

·       A community reference meeting was recently held via zoom. It was acknowledged that the issue with cycle paths remains (parking was removed to accommodate cycle paths but businesses do not want cyclist in the area because of trucks).

·       The Association called for a review around the extensive loss of parking (up to 60) because of the ‘Green Wall’. This trade-off was not made clear to the community when the ‘Green wall’ was first proposed.

·       Noise levels are expected to ramp up.

Moonee Ponds Creek – John

·       Graffiti has been reported to the CoM (only one side was cleaned). It is now taking up to 20 days for it to be removed (vs. 5 days previously). Pleasingly, graffiti on the CityLink side has been removed/cleaned (thanks to Yoey who continues to follow this up on behalf of Ellen).

·       Kensington had 120% of last year’s rainfall by the first week of May.

·       Branches from the tree pruning that took place last month, under the power easement, are still there. Growth rings show that these trees were at least 25+ years old.

·       Litter traps were cleaned last month.

PCCC (Therese)

·       An increase in anti-social behaviour is expected following the latest round of restrictions as people get more and more frustrated with lockdowns.

·       Sheila noted that there has been an increase in anti-social/offensive wall art/posters on street posts and the bus stop outside of the physio. She queried the Association’s position on this and whether we should be getting involved. 

Community Liaison Group for West Gate Tunnel Project – Fran

·       No new updates. Next meeting is scheduled on 23/07/2020 (meeting are bi-monthly).

COVID-19 Restrictions/Lockdowns

·       General feedback from the community is that the public housing estate lockdown was the right thing to do but poorly executed.

·       The group discussed whether there is anything else that can be done to support these residents and the community more broadly, noting estates are in Flemington and North Melbourne not Kensington.

·       Both the Venny and the Kensington Neighbourhood House are providing support.

6.

Other Business

·       Liveability Working Group (Simon) – Still working through how this will work in practise and the best way to mobilise resources.

·       Maritza noted that for this to work it needs to address the broader issues/challenges associated with urban renewal and sustainability, rather than dealing with individual developments as they pop up.

·       Simon is in the process of drafting a ‘roadmap’ that outlines how we plan to work together with the community over the next decade, to guide our suburb on a road of good health, sustainability and liveability.

·       It was agreed that a small working group (3-4 people) should take this forward.

·       Macaulay Structural Plan Refresh (Simon) – CoM is seeking community feedback.

·       Repair Hub (Simon) – This is a community initiative focussed on offering repairs, teaching/sharing repair skills and providing a workspace and tools for locals to carry out repairs. It will be trialled at the Kensington Market, with a view to being set up permanently next year.

·       AGM – Given extraordinary circumstances, it was agreed that the AGM should be delayed by a few months.

·       Maritza passed a motion to delay the AGM until October, with all officers to remain in their current positions until then. Tony and Therese endorsed the motion which was carried unanimously.

·       Action: Fran to check the Constitution to confirm whether this is permissible.

·       Editor’s Note: Clause 10.2 of the Constitution state that “The annual general meeting shall be held on such day as the Committee determines within 5 months after the end of each financial year.”

7.

Next Meeting: Monday 3^rd of August, 7:30-9:30pm