Yarra Ranges Council reopens its meetings to the public on Tuesday night

A team of security guards and several police officers were in attendance as Yarra Ranges Council reopened its meetings to the public in Lilydale on Tuesday night.

Police removed about 120 people from the gallery at Yarra Ranges Council's meeting on earlier this year. Picture: Google Street View.

A small group of people were denied entry to the Yarra Ranges Council meeting in Lilydale on Tuesday night, as the council reopened its public gallery.

A team of security guards and two police officers were in attendance as a small group stood outside the council offices, after failing to gain entry because they had not registered their details with the council before the meeting.

Two security guards were in place at the door, checking people’s ID matched the details of a printed list of attendees.

Two security guards were also sitting inside the meeting but their presence wasn’t needed – the public gallery was empty.

Despite big crowds turning out to meetings earlier this year, the rows of chairs in the public gallery sat empty on Tuesday night, apart from one community member who arrived towards the end of the meeting.

Those attending the meeting had to pre-register their details as the council aimed to stop an “increasing pattern of verbal abuse, intimidation and anti-social behaviour” seen at previous meetings that saw it close its meetings to the public in April.

All attendees wanting to attend council meetings must register their attendance by no later than Monday 5pm the day before the council meeting, either online or over the phone.

All attendees will be required to present a valid photo identification which will be checked against their registration details.

Hobsons Bay residents were also forced to register ahead of recent council meetings where attendees were greeted by at least five security guards and escorted by two local laws officers with the practices labelled “overkill”.

The decision to temporarily close the Yarra Ranges public gallery was announced after repeated interruptions from members of the public, with police called to a meeting in January.

The council has spent more than $12,000 beefing up security after the increasing pattern of abuse from some in the gallery.

Yarra Ranges Mayor Jim Child said he was looking forward to welcoming community members back into the public gallery but asked that everyone who attends “does so respectfully.”

“Any inappropriate comments or behaviour will not be tolerated, and individuals will be asked to leave if necessary”.