Cr Kris Bolam has used his final statement as Mayor to reinforce that Frankston has undergone a “bold and transformative” year, as councillors move into a new leadership era under Mayor Cr Sue Baker and Deputy Mayor Cr Cherie Wanat.
Bolam, who has completed his third term, is now officially Frankston’s longest-serving mayor, with 1,116 days in the role across three terms. He also holds the distinction of being the city’s youngest-ever elected mayor in 2010–11.
‘From town to premier city by the bay’
In a detailed outgoing statement, Bolam says the past 12 months have marked Frankston’s shift from “talking about potential” to delivering visible outcomes, framed around the city’s transition from “town” to “city”.
“For years, we spoke of potential; now, we are realising it. Frankston’s moment is here.”
He points to rising investment, strong economic performance and a string of awards, including the Gold Award in the Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards, state winner and national nominee status in the Australian Event Awards, and the 2025 Victorian Tidy City title at the Keep Victoria Beautiful Awards.
“Frankston is no longer just a town; we are a premier city by the bay.”
Bolam says the adoption of the Frankston Metropolitan Activity Centre Structure Plan and progress on the 60 million dollar rejuvenation of Nepean Highway have given investors greater certainty while placing limits on inappropriate development. Since adopting the structure plan, he says Council has approved five major planning applications worth more than 233 million dollars, with two more before councillors, alongside growing interest in residential and short stay accommodation projects.
He also highlights strong property market figures, citing external reports that put Frankston’s median house price at around 780,000 dollars with annual growth above 5 per cent, and list the area among the nation’s investment hotspots.
Record tenure and key milestones
Bolam is keen to emphasise three headline milestones when reflecting on his time in office: fundraising, cost-of-living support and long-running projects that have finally moved forward.
He says Council and community partners have raised about 221,000 dollars for local causes during his current term, including the Accessible Beach Pilot that turned Frankston Beach into what he describes as the most inclusive and accessible beach in Australia.
He also led the 2.4 million dollar Local Support Package, which was introduced at the height of cost-of-living pressures. The package included support for more than 45 community relief organisations and neighbourhood houses, reduced rates for commercial and residential ratepayers, discounted access to key facilities, fee freezes and waivers for some services, and capability-building programs for small businesses.
“No other council or shire in Victoria offers such a comprehensive and generous suite of measures during this period of economic uncertainty.”
On “legacy projects”, Bolam points to awarding the contract for the 60 million dollar Frankston Stadium, progressing the Kananook multideck car park, and unblocking long-stalled issues such as the Frankston Motorcycle Park and the first floor of the vacant Frankston Yacht Club. A hospitality operator has been finalised for the yacht club, with Bolam flagging “an exciting announcement” expected next week.
Over the past 12 months in particular, he says Council has overseen “substantial investment and significant city-shaping changes” that will continue to benefit Frankston into the future.
Governance reforms and internal culture
Modernising governance and culture has been another key theme of Bolam’s final term.
He lists a series of reforms that he says have strengthened accountability and transparency, including:
- Political neutrality conditions in the standing grants process
- Publishing the Chief Executive Officer’s key performance indicators
- Allowing the mayor to seek legal advice via the CEO on behalf of councillors
- A public register of councillor interactions with developers
- Higher thresholds for councillors to “call in” planning applications
- A policy for councillors nominating for state or federal office
- A five business day reporting period for gifts
- Requiring director names and contact details on all Council reports
Bolam notes that Frankston City Council’s Transparency Hub was commended by the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Local Government Culture as a model of “best practice”.
He also stresses that, during this term, Council “avoided internal division” and advanced an extensive agenda with items largely passed efficiently and without deferrals or delays. Council, he says, identified more than 3.6 million dollars in operational efficiencies, cost reductions and future borrowing savings in the 2025 budget process.
Council Watch Victoria president Dean Hurlston also offered rare praise and commended Cr Bolam in a post on the organisations Facebook page for his “outstanding contribution” and “real transformation” of Frankston City. Mr Hurlston said Cr Bolam’s legacy “is one of stability, reform and genuine passion for Frankston’s future” and has established “a new statewide standard in councillor group cohesion and support”.
A new permanent Chief Executive Officer, Tennille Bradley, has been appointed after what Bolam describes as a highly competitive recruitment process. He thanks Interim CEO Cam Arullanantham for navigating a complex period and says he is confident the incoming CEO will “elevate Frankston City Council to even greater heights”.
Advocacy, partnerships and business growth
Bolam devotes a substantial part of his statement to advocacy outcomes and partnerships, describing the 2025 advocacy campaign as the most successful in Frankston’s history.
He credits strong working relationships with local MPs Paul Edbrooke, Sonya Kilkenny and Jodie Belyea with helping deliver 59 million dollars in federal election funding for key priorities and 75 million dollars in total federal funding, which he says represents a 202 per cent increase on the previous benchmark. Council’s grant application success rate rose to 89 per cent this year, up from 82 per cent in 2022.
Beyond the election cycle, he notes that Frankston successfully advanced 12 motions at the Municipal Association of Victoria and Australian Local Government Association, with 11 carried, on issues such as lobbyist registers, unlocking surplus land for affordable housing and national online safety reforms.
Frankston has also strengthened ties with regional and international partners, including:
- Joining the Nepean Partnership, Frankston Housing Acceleration Taskforce and Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism Board
- Establishing a friendship city relationship with Annapolis in the United States and reaffirming its sister city agreement with Susono in Japan
- Facilitating alliances between the Frankston Business Chamber and several national and international chambers of commerce
On the economic front, Bolam says more than 820 new small businesses have established in the municipality in the past year, alongside new hospitality venues such as Moon Dog Beach Bar and The Sporting Globe, with the Bang Bang restaurant scheduled to open in 2026. He cites a rise in gross regional product from 7 billion dollars in 2020 to 9.6 billion dollars.
International engagement has also been linked to potential investment, with officers currently assessing proposals valued between 20 million and 25 million dollars, including a construction materials base that could create more than 30 local jobs, a 200,000 dollar foreshore project and a major exhibition.
Council has increased its Destination Events budget from 80,000 to 310,000 dollars, supporting an expanded calendar that includes the Carlsberg Beach Club, Frankston Swim Classic, Australian Sand Sculpting Championships and the new Frankston Winter Fire Festival, alongside established events such as the Waterfront Festival, South Side Festival and Frankston Christmas Festival.
Aged care exit, services and community satisfaction
Bolam acknowledges that one of the most challenging decisions of 2025 was Council’s withdrawal from direct delivery of in-home aged care. He says the move followed detailed financial and market analysis in the context of reduced federal funding and increased market choice, and argues it will allow Council to strengthen other community services.
He points to zero waiting lists for Meals on Wheels, expanded community buses and social outings, a streamlined kindergarten central registration protocol, and a new navigation service to help seniors access appropriate support.
Council’s capital works program has delivered a series of projects on time and within budget, including upgrades at Sandfield Reserve Playground, Langwarrin Skatepark, the Frankston Arts Centre forecourt, Duncan Proudfoot Pavilion and Baden Powell Kindergarten, with additional kindergarten upgrades due to open in 2026. Bolam says the capital completion rate has reached 92.4 per cent, up from 74.9 per cent a decade ago.
He also notes that Frankston ranked 13th out of 79 Victorian councils in the state’s annual community satisfaction survey, and lists a range of safety and wellbeing initiatives, from expanded patrols and CCTV to graffiti prevention programs, water safety measures and new social support and legal programs for young people.
Call for unity as leadership changes hands
Throughout the statement, Bolam repeatedly stresses that Frankston’s progress has depended on collaboration between councillors, staff, community organisations, businesses and different levels of government.
“In just a few short years, we have transformed from a struggling council into one of Australia’s most innovative local governments.”
He urges residents to back the incoming mayor and councillors.
“It is vital that our next Mayor receives the full support of our community. When done right, the mayoralty is an incredibly demanding role and at times, undeniably lonely.”
Bolam concludes by thanking the community for the opportunity to serve three terms as mayor and says he is proud of the foundations laid for the years ahead.
“Thank you for the privilege of serving as Mayor for a third and final term. It has truly been an honour.”
Over the past 12 months there has been a clear sense of momentum and positive energy at Frankston City Council under Bolam’s leadership, reflected in the breadth and pace of the agenda pushed through the chamber. As a new mayoral team steps in, STPL News looks forward to reporting on the next chapter at Frankston City Council and how the city builds on the platform laid over this term.
