Craig Francis for Bayside in Sandringham, Victoria | Political candidate

Craig Francis for Bayside

Locality: Sandringham, Victoria

Address: 5 Southey street, Sandringham 3191 Sandringham, VIC, Australia

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25.01.2022 "Actions, Not Words" I was always so impressed with the motto from my daughters' secondary school, and am renowned in the corporate world for achieving outcomes, not just talking about them. I wanted to summarise some of the key areas where if elected, I will drive Council to accountable and time bound actions; Strongly challenging inappropriate Property Development; Actioning the Bayside Climate Change Emergency Action Plan; Re-energising Sandringham and Hampton Villages; ...Improving Bayside's sports amenities and facilitating further female participation in sports; Increased parking for Sandringham and Hampton train stations, together with a coordinated local transport plan; Consistent and tranparent community consultation on issues affecting residents; Accountablility of planning and spending on major projects; Increased spending on Aged Care home visit resources; Better community facilities, starting with the Hampton Community Centre; Advocating for Hampton Pier, improvements for Sandringham LifeSaving Club, and protection of our foreshore. I look forward if elected to advocating for you on these and all Council related issues with passion and energy. And yes, the below is in Latin... See more

24.01.2022 In these challenging financial times brought on by the COVID crisis, it's vital that we have representation on Council with sound Financial Management skills and experience in managing sizeable budgets (Bayside Council's annual budget is currently over $130m). In particular there needs to be a strong focus on the feasibility phase of major capital expenditure projects, with sufficient due diligence to ensure that projects avoid major blowouts due to a lack of foresight and ...research. I have a Bachelor of Business Degree (majoring in Accounting) from Monash University, and previoulsy worked as an accountant and an auditor in Australia and in England. More recently I've worked as a senior manager in major multi national corporate organisations, and have been responsible for managing budgets of a magnitude commensurate with such roles. As such I'm ideally positioned to oversee Council accountability when it comes to how ratepayer money is best spent. Connect with me in on linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-francis-9a538749/ See more

24.01.2022 Whilst being on the Council is officially a 'part time' role, I can already tell from my brief time as a candidate that there is an enormous amount of work involved in order to carry out the role effectively. I'm in the fortunate position of being able to dedicate as much time as is needed to representing the Ward if I'm fortunate enough to be elected, having opted to finish up in the corporate world in November after 30 years honing my skills. (i'd made the decision well before deciding to run for Council!). As such I plan to spend as much time as possible in the early days of becoming a councillor consulting with members of the community on where they would like the Council to focus their attention, before moving quickly to helping to put ideas into practice.

23.01.2022 Thank you to the significant number of people who have reached out to me via email, text, phone call or Facebook to ask questions around my position on issues before deciding on how to vote. If you are still undecided then I would strongly encourage you to spare a moment to check on whether the candidate lives in Boyd Ward, and hence has an understanding of what is important to you as a local resident. I'd also very much welcome any questions you may have on any of the positions I've put forward or on anything at al that may help you decide on how to cast your very important vote.

21.01.2022 Having finally managed to get a haircut and no longer looking like a yeti I thought it safe to share a video...

20.01.2022 We have had first hand experience of the amazing in home care provided by Bayside City Council Aged Care Services, at a time when we had my elderly father in law living with us. The carers were so attentive and genuinely caring, and nothing was ever too much trouble. In these very challenging times we need to support our elderly being able to stay in their homes or with relatives wherever possible. I will strongly advocate to ensure that funding for these critical services is not only maintained but increased in line with demand. Head here for more info about Bayside Council services... https://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/what-assistance-do-we-provide

18.01.2022 Just a reminder that compulsory voting closes on Friday 23rd this week, and voting papers must be mailed before 6pm on Friday. I would strongly encourage you to exercise your democratic right in choosing a local candidate from Boyd Ward who will best represent your interests! I've included again here my 'How to Vote' card, and as ever I'm very keen to hear from any voters who are yet to decide and who wish to find out more about my policies across all aspects of Local Government.

17.01.2022 Council needs to be more accountable when it comes to the spending of ratepayer money. With an annual budget in excess of $130 million, sound financial management is key. I will bring a professional commercial background to council and will ensure fiscal responsibility and wise spending of ratepayer funds with a focus on stimulating local growth. Vote 1 Craig Francis for Boyd Ward

16.01.2022 Clearly Hampton is faced with its own unique set of challenges, including multiple over developments which continue to impact residents, a shopping village significantly feeling the effect of the prolonged shutdown and the long overdue need for the Hampton Community Hub to come to fruition. I commend the Hampton Neighbourhood Association for their tireless work in advocating on behalf of Hamption residents; I attach here the outcome for Boyd Ward of their comprehensive survey... of candidates. With regards to the Hampton Street shopping village I've spoken to the Hampton Street Traders Association to get further insight into the particular challenges facing Hampton and have committed to working with them to help bring their ideas into action. View the full HNA candidate survey results on the HNA website: https://hna.org.au/bayside-elections/hna-candidate-summary/ See more

14.01.2022 Out and about in Bayside's beautiful surrounds this morning reflecting on issues impacting Bayside. As the election draws to a close don't forget to send your vote in before 6pm tomorrow night.

12.01.2022 Many thanks to Helen (President of the Sandringham Lifesaving Club) for taking the time to update me on the Club's current challenges and also their exciting plans for the local community in the future. Of immediate concern is the lack of disabled facilities, along with an urgent need to update the current inadequate public toilet facilities. The club has grown its membership and numbers of 'nippers' particilpants very substantially in recent years and (COVID permitting) has the potential to become an even more central part of the local community. I look forward, if elected, to working more closely with the Club and other local clubs and amenities.

12.01.2022 Under the new Bayside Council structure, it's important that the people of Boyd Ward have someone who lives in and understands the Ward to represent their interests on the Council. I would encourage voters to check with candidates as to whether they live within Boyd Ward such that everyone can be sure that our local issues are best understood and represented in the newly elected Council.

12.01.2022 As the deadline for returning ballot papers draws nearer I would like to repeat my Candidate Policy Statement to reaffirm to you where I stand on broad policy issues. I am an independent candidate and my family and I live locally in Boyd Ward and have been Sandringham residents for nearly 20 years. I have an enormous passion for the Bayside area, with a daily walk along the foreshore into Sandringham or Hampton village a ritual I cherish dearly. My wife is a midwife at Sandri...ngham Hospital and our three children have all been educated locally. I have been strongly connected to the Bayside community for many years through local sporting teams, as well as helping found the Sandringham Foreshore Association driven by a passion to help preserve our natural environment and heritage. Immersion in all things Bayside and in particular our local Boyd Ward has provided me insight into what residents expect from their community. The character of our natural assets in this extraordinarily beautiful area must be protected and balanced against Bayside’s ongoing growth. If elected I will bring a sensible approach to council on property developments to ensure positive outcomes for residents. I will work closely with local Traders Associations, Neighbourhood and Community groups to ensure their views are properly represented. Working more collaboratively with these groups will better support our shopping precincts and maximise the outcomes of infrastructure and facility spending. As a new candidate I will bring a fresh energy to initiatives in key areas such as helping businesses recover from COVID19 impacts, ongoing improvements to sporting facilities, reduced traffic congestion, improved aged care services and refurbishment of our beachside amenities and parks and gardens. I will combine my passion for Bayside with a results driven approach honed from formal business qualifications and a highly successful career as a senior manager in the software industry. I will also bring exceptional communication and negotiation skills to expedite Council outcomes. See more

08.01.2022 The issue of Bayside Council considering the banning of outdoor barbeques was in the news recently. I'm very much against any such bans and would see such a move as entirely unnecesary. The rare instance of someone burning off materials in their property which produce excessive smoke should be treated as an individial matter and managed accordingly, rather than bringing in an unnecessary overarching rule.