Tuesday, 28 May 2024

 Paul EDBROOKE (Frankston) (12:57): On behalf of the Frankston community I condemn the Frankston City Council 2024–25 draft budget, which cuts funding for the much-needed Community Support Frankston, our main support and food relief service. Sources inside council and the Community Support Frankston annual report tell me that while CSF staff and volunteers have managed demand for assistance, which has doubled from 9500 in 2019 to 18,000 cases in 2023, the Community Support Frankston budget will be cut by $180,000. That is the equivalent of 5.6 full-time equivalent roles to two full-time staff, more than halving their staffing capacity. That is two staff to assist in 18,000 interactions – to get a roof over people’s heads, to assist those escaping family violence, to feed babes and children, to get kids off the street, to ensure people are signed up for benefits or referred to mental health assistance, to fill scripts and clothing and to potentially provide 18,000 meals. I do not know who in their right mind would cut this capacity during a cost-of-living crisis, but our councils need to start listening.

Meanwhile a supposedly independent body from council, the Frankston Business Collective, which was funded by council to establish itself, unsuccessfully, prior has been funded another $200,000, despite officers recommending only $60,000 in the budget for this independent network. I have contacted other councils for data regarding their comparative funding, because I find it hard to believe that Frankston City Council can draft a budget that is anywhere near community expectations. This budget obviously needs to balance economic growth and jobs, but it needs to balance our community ‍– (Time expired)