RETIRED police sergeant and Frankston's 1999 citizen of the year David Newman is fed up with what he claims is the council's bias towards the city's central business district at the expense of its residential areas.
The council's decision to hire street security guards finally fired up Mr Newman, an operational officer based at Frankston for almost 27 years, so he wrote to mayor Christine Richards.
Among other comments about Frankston's general appearance, Mr Newman told the mayor that the security guards were a bad idea and the "real answer to the safety problem is to put more pressure on our State Government through our local MP [Alistair Harkness] to secure more operational uniform members at Frankston".
"Obviously, the whole community would benefit, not just the CBD," Mr Newman stated.
He told Cr Richards there were 66 uniform officers at Frankston when he retired in 1999.
"Now I understand it [Frankston] has 59. So much for the increase in police numbers the Government would like you to believe.
"Other branches of the police department stationed at Frankston have little to do with the day-to-day general operations unless there is a specially planned combined operation.
"We should not forget that of the 59 active members at Frankston there is always a percentage on annual leave/days off after nightshift and rest days (four per fortnight).
"With the reduced numbers is it any wonder the members are under constant stress.
"If the council wants to put safety high on their list of priorities, then lobby hard and firm for more uniform members at Frankston."
However, if the council continued hiring security guards with little statutory clout past the trial stage, ratepayers should not have to shoulder the cost burden, Mr Newman stated.
"If this security guard system is the answer to problems arising in the CBD then let the retailers fund it or, better still, user pays - up the parking by 10 to 20 cents an hour.
"My wife and I don't shop in the CBD, so why should I pay for a service that does not extend beyond the CBD boundaries?"
A Frankston resident for 64 years, Mr Newman said it appeared from articles he
read that the only concerns of council were the CBD and Kananook Creek development.
He suggested the council look further afield, particularly at the city's entry points: dilapidated buildings and tired shop fronts on the northern side of Nepean Highway; weeds up to a metre growing out of kerbing and weed-infested roundabouts along Frankston-Dandenong Road, Beach Street and Hastings Road; and rubbish surrounding fast food outlets on Cranbourne Road near the Lee Street intersection. Mr Newman said that because of the council's apparent lack of interest, ratepayers around the Lee Street intersection "do their best to clean up the mess on a daily basis".
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