Port Phillip Council spends $60k on staff Christmas party but only $4k on street decorations

A MELBOURNE council that spent $10,000 on banners to welcome refugees will spend only $4000 on Christmas decorations — while forking out nearly 15 times that amount for its staff festivities.

Port Phillip Council is spending only $4000 on street Christmas decorations — but neary $60,000 on a staff bash. File photo

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RATEPAYERS will fork out $58,600 for Port Phillip Council’s private Christmas party.

But only $4000 has been splashed on festive street decorations, despite the council recording a $12 million cash surplus last financial year.

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The party for council staff and their families will include children’s activities, entertainment and food and beverages. A council spokesperson declined to reveal the party’s location, but the Leader understands it will be in St Kilda’s Botanic Gardens.

Neighbouring Stonnington Council spent $287,000 on decorations this year, while Yarra Council spent about $30,000 on wreaths and wooden sculptures.

Neighbouring Stonnington Council has spent nearly $300,000 on decorations this year after copping criticism in previous years. Picture: Stuart Milligan

A St Kilda woman, who didn’t want to be named, told the Leader she was upset at the council’s lack of Christmas spirit.

“This is supposed to be a tourist area and yet anyone who visits wouldn’t even know it was Christmas,” she said.

“I’m sure if you went to any other major city at this time of year there’d be decorations.

“I don’t expect (the council) to go overboard but ... Port Phillip Council must a make a fortune from our rates but there’s not a decoration to be seen — it’s disgraceful.”

Earlier this year the council spent about $10,000 to hang “Refugees Welcome Here” banners outside town halls in St Kilda, South Melbourne and Port Melbourne, and thousands of dollars to shine rainbow lights on the St Kilda Town Hall in support of marriage equality.

The council spent thousands lighting up St Kilda Town Hall in support marriage equality.

Mayor Bernadene Voss said groups, including traders’ associations, were responsible for putting up street decorations.

In the past few years there had only been “a handful of complaints” about the lack of decorations, Cr Voss said.

Chief executive Peter Smith said the staff party, open to all employees and their families, was “an opportunity to acknowledge our staff’s valued efforts over the year”.

Port Phillip CEO Peter Smith said the he would consider ways to scale back the staff Christmas party in future.

But Mr Smith said he would consider ways to scale back in the future.

Councillor Marcus Pearl said the holiday season was “an important period for our traders” and areas without active traders’ groups, including South Melbourne, could benefit from the council’s help.

“A small investment in Christmas decorations to help traders ... during the busiest time of the year will go a long way to bring joy to our residents,” he said.