Frankston City Council delivers strengthened Governance & Transparency

Published on 10 December 2025

FCCLogo-380x250-Landing 2

Council has strengthened its policies and protocols over the last 12 months to demonstrate its continued commitment to ensuring public confidence and trust in decision making and integrity through how Councillors interact with developers, declare gifts, and attend external events.

Mayor Kris Bolam said the strengthened policies reflect Council’s determination to set the benchmark in best-practice governance.

“Frankston City Council has taken decisive steps to raise the existing high standards of transparency and good governance,” Mayor Bolam said.

“This is demonstrated by these policies that make decision-making clear, accessible and trustworthy—ensuring collaboration is built on integrity and confidence.

Frankston City Council interim CEO Cam Arullanantham said  “the policies are guided by our organisational values of Smarter, Kinder, Fairer, these measures provide the foundation for effective partnerships and practical delivery, reinforcing Council’s commitment to modern governance.”

Key policies include a revised Legal Advice Protocol and a Councillor Interactions with Developers Policy and Register.

The revised Legal Advice Protocol provides a pathway for Councillors to request external legal advice in connection with their role as a Councillor. It clarifies the types of advice that can be sought, the approvals required and ensures accountability regarding the best use of public funds.

The Councillor Interactions with Developers Register summary provides greater public visibility of interactions with developers, one of the first few of its kind in Victoria.

“While strategic partnerships deliver growth and opportunity, they must be supported by the principles of accountability,” Mayor Bolam said.

“These reforms remove the remaining barriers to good probity and ensure consistency in decision-making across all aspects of Council.

“As Frankston experiences unprecedented growth, we will increasingly work with private investors, making strong governance more critical than ever.

These changes represent not only a commitment to robust governance, but also a steadfast commitment to the Frankston community.”

Frankston City Council’s Transparency Hub is a model of sector-leading governance and cited as an example of “best practice” in Victoria by the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Local Government Culture, is one key accountability measure already in place at Council.

The Transparency Hub provides easy access to key Council data and stories, including decision making, budgets, and projects, to assist the public stay engaged and in the know on Council matters.

The Hub was refreshed in August 2025, with faster updates, interactive maps, dashboards and data stories, a searchable data catalogue and all data consolidated on Council’s website for simple, consistent access.

The Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) of the CEO will be published on the Transparency Hub as part of the new reforms, providing visible performance standards.

Elements that focus on greater consistency and clarity for Councillors. These include; 

  • The Councillor Gift Policy now requires declarations to be made within five business days,
  • The Mayor and Councillor Attendance at External Events Protocol outlines expectations and etiquette when inviting and hosting the Mayor, Deputy Mayor or Councillors at an event.
  • The Councillor Candidature Policy clarifies the expectations and legal requirements that apply when a Councillor stands as a candidate in a State or Federal election or by-election.
  • The Councillor Appreciation Awards Protocol outlines eligibility details and a process for the recognition of individuals and/or community groups who have made a significant contribution or service to the Frankston community.

Council has also supported integrity and decision-making initiatives by Councillors which include: 

  • Sector-wide Lobbyist Register Reform motion, passed at the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), strengthening ethical standards.
  • New ‘Call-In’ process – requiring greater accountability with an extra councillor required to call in Planning Applications to Council for a decision.
  • Additional requirements for Councillors to show political neutrality when seeking community sponsorship, safeguarding impartiality.
  • Director contact details on Council reports under their remit.

Additional strengthened governance includes:

  • A Councillor offering of Gifts Protocol provides guidance for Councillors on the process when offering a gift or donation to a person, business or entity in their role as a Councillor.  
  • A revised Communications Policy which strengthens clear, transparent and timely communication
  • The removal of prayer from Council meetings, promoting an inclusive Council and respecting the diversity of backgrounds and beliefs within the chamber.
  • A Commercial Solicitation Policy which provides a framework for receiving, assessing and managing unsolicited proposals submitted to Council by private or non-government entities.

Among the endorsed reports back to Council scheduled for early 2026 are:

  • Framework for International Relations to assist with the management of Council’s Sister City relationships
  • A new Sponsorship Policy. 

The transparency hub can be found here:

 https://www.frankston.vic.gov.au/Council/Governance-and-transparency/Transparency-Hub

Tagged as:
Back to top