Dog of a decision

DOGS will not be permitted on any Inverloch beaches between 9am and 6pm from December to April after a decision made by Bass Coast Shire Council on Wednesday night.
The move is part of a trial by council to study the effects of removing dogs from the beach at these times.
An amended motion changing the times to 9am to 6pm from the original 8am to 8pm was put to council by Cr Jordan Crugnale.
Mayor Cr Neil Rankine used his casting vote to make the ultimate decision after it was a draw, with Cr Rankine, Cr Crugnale and Cr Phil Wright in favour of the motion and Cr Andrew Phillips, Cr Clare Le Serve and Cr Kimberly Brown against it. Cr Brad Drew was absent.
“I am going to use my casting vote in favour of this amendment because like it was said before, this is a trial,” Cr Rankine said.
Cr Crugnale and Cr Wright both spoke in favour of the motion.
“We must make people realise that using the beach is a privilege not a right,” Cr Wright.
This comment upset a gallery of residents and many tried to interject.
One gallery member was heard to say to another: “sit down you silly woman, you can’t comment during the debate!”
Cr Phillips suggested a shorter trial period be issued and was supported in this idea by Cr Le Serve and Cr Brown.
Cr Crugnale said this would be of no use to the officers collecting data from the trial.
“The whole point of the trial is to view the busy period and both sides of the busy period and that is where these dates come from,” she said.
“We can’t have conclusive evidence unless we look at both sides of the busy period as well.”
Information will be compiled by independent surveyors asking beach users with dogs and without dogs at a range of times for their views about the state of the beach.
That information will be compiled ready for a report in May.

Abuse disappointing
BASS Coast councillors and council staff were disappointed at the level of abuse they have received as a result of the dog ban at Inverloch beaches.
Cr Clare Le Serve told councillors and the gallery the content of some letters and emails was unacceptable.
“I would like to say that some of the emails, allegations and accusations against Cr Crugnale bordered on bullying and that is unacceptable,” she said,
“I think it is a disgraceful way of trying to get change.
“I think people need to be mindful of their approach and if you don’t believe me I have those emails.
“It wasn’t acceptable and that is not going to sway my opinion because it is very uncalled for and out of order.”

Unfair: a gallery full of disappointed Inverloch residents was present when the decision was made to have a trial dog ban for the town’s beaches between 9am and 6pm over popular tourist times.

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Posted by Sarah Vella on Dec 17 2013. Filed under Featured, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry