Agenda

Ordinary Council Meeting

18 September 2025, 7:00 PM

Council will commence consideration of

all business paper agenda items at 7.00 pm.

Notice of Meeting

Dear Councillors,

Notice is given of the Ordinary Council Meeting, to be held in the Council Chambers on Thursday 18 September 2025 commencing at 7:00 PM. The business to be transacted at the meeting is included in this business paper.

In accordance with clause 3.26 of the Code of Meeting Practice Councillors are reminded of their oath or affirmation of office made under section 233A of the Act, and of their obligations under the Council’s Code of Conduct to disclose and appropriately manage conflicts of interest.

Yours faithfully

A close up of a face

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Louise Kerr

General Manager

Council Meeting Procedures

The Council meeting is chaired by the Mayor, Councillor Merri Southwood. Councillors are entitled to one vote on a matter. If votes are equal, the Chairperson has a second or casting vote. When a majority of Councillors vote in favour of a Motion it becomes a decision of the Council. Minutes of Council and Committee meetings are published on Council’s website www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au by 5.00 pm on the Tuesday following the meeting.

The Meeting is conducted in accordance with Council's Code of Meeting Practice. The order of business is listed in the Agenda on the next page. That order will be followed unless Council resolves to modify the order at the meeting. This may occur for example where the members of the public in attendance are interested in specific items on the agenda.

The Public Forum will hear registered speakers from the Public Gallery as well as online using the web platform Zoom. All speakers wishing to participate in the public forum must register by using the online form no later than midnight, on the day prior to the meeting (Wednesday, 17 September 2025) and a Zoom meeting link will be emailed to the provided email address of those registered as an online speaker. Please note that the time limit of three minutes per address still applies, so please make sure your submission meets this criteria. Alternatively, members of the public can still submit their written address via email to service@lanecove.nsw.gov.au. Written addresses are to be received by Council no later than midnight, on the day prior to the meeting. (500 words maximum).

Please note that meetings held in the Council Chambers are webcasted, and recordings are made publicly available on the Council's website. Should you require assistance to participate in the meeting due to a disability; or wish to obtain further information in relation to Council, please contact Council’s Director - Corporate Services and Strategy on (02) 9911 3550.

Ordinary Council Meeting 18 September 2025

Notice of Motion - Lane Cove Camp: Drag Community Grant for Pride and Mardi Gras

Item No: 2

Subject: Notice of Motion - Lane Cove Camp: Drag Community Grant for Pride and Mardi Gras

Record No: SU10074 - 64681/25

Division: Lane Cove Council

Author(s): Councillor Katie Little

Executive Summary

Why should Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs have all the fun? This motion proposes a one-off community grant program for Lane Cove hospitality venues to add sequins and sparkle with a professional drag entertainer – during Pride Month (June) and/or the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival period (13 February – 1 March 2026).

Drag bingo and bowls? A café with a little cabaret? A Bollywood lip-syncing extravaganza, or maybe an ice cream server dishing up double scoops with double entendres

Far from frivolous, this motion aims to boost local business and align with Council's Social Inclusion Strategy

Drag is an internationally recognised art form that combines theatre, fashion, music and humour. Above all, drag thrives on community participation and is the most fabulous fun way to send a clear message: everyone is welcome here.

Background

Lane Cove prides itself on being cosmopolitan with a huge variety of restaurants, a world-class gallery space, an outdoor theatre and now one of the most sought-after small performance venues in Sydney. But currently, there are no dedicated queer venues. Members of our LGBTQIA+ community often travel to Darlinghurst, Newtown, Erskineville, Marrickville — even Newcastle has a gay bar! — to find spaces where they feel welcomed and celebrated.

Meanwhile, visitors travel from the Northern Beaches, Blue Mountains and beyond because there is always something culturally diverse happening. Let’s make the rainbow of culture on offer complete and put Lane Cove not-so-squarely on the rainbow map.

With strategic, small-scale investment there is the potential to deliver major community benefits:

· Celebrating diversity and culture by creating surprising, fun, visible LGBTQIA+ events interspersed throughout the community of Lane Cove.

· Generating revenue for local hospitality venues by creating fabulous reasons for people to go out mid-week and outside major event dates, while also attracting visitors from out of area.

· Taking practical action to combat homophobia by replacing misinformation and prejudice with visibility, connection and shared experiences. In an age where particularly young males are being targeted and negatively influenced online by 'toxic masculinity', it is important to show there is a vibrant, supportive world beyond the social media feed — and that being expressive and creative is a gift that we love and treasure.

· Creating safe, affirming spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly LGBTQIA+ youth. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (2023) reported almost 1 in 10 young people aged 16–24 identify as LGBTQ+. La Trobe University’s Writing Themselves In 4 survey (2021) on the health and wellbeing of LGBTQA+ young people in New South Wales reported nearly 60% had experienced verbal harassment and 1 in 5 had experienced physical harassment based on their sexuality or gender. LGBTQIA+ young people are particularly vulnerable with higher rates of depression, anxiety and self-harm compared to heterosexual and cisgender young people of the same age.

Drag queens aren’t just glitter and sequins — they’re brave beacons of diversity and radical self-expression.

If passed, this motion will not only celebrate Lane Cove’s commitment to inclusion and diversity but also boost the local economy, strengthen community bonds, and remind everyone — whether in sequins or sneakers — that Lane Cove is the place to visit where everyone belongs.

RECOMMENDATION

That: Council:

1. Establish a one-off total community grant program of up to $5,000 for Lane Cove hospitality venues to apply for funding to engage professional drag performers in ways that compliment their establishments,

2. The funding for this community grant program is to be sourced from Council’s Social Inclusion Operating Budget,

3. Make the grant available for use during Pride Month (June 2026),

4. Promote the program widely to encourage a variety of venues to participate, ensuring events are safe, inclusive and welcoming to LGBTQIA+ community members and allies; and

5. Note that professional drag artists are not limited by gender and that Kings are equally welcome.

Councillor Katie Little

Councillor

ATTACHMENTS:

There are no supporting documents for this report.

Ordinary Council Meeting 18 September 2025

Notice of Motion - Extend Lane Cove Library Opening Hours

Item No: 3

Subject: Notice of Motion - Extend Lane Cove Library Opening Hours

Record No: SU1705 - 64684/25

Division: Lane Cove Council

Author(s): Councillor Caleb Taylor

Executive Summary

This Notice of Motion seeks Council to consider an initiative of extending library opening hours at the next Corporate Planning Weekend and as part of the 2026/27 Budget preparation process to extend the current Lane Cove Library hours on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until 7:00pm for a trial period of six months

Background

Lane Cove Library is a vital community asset and resource, serving residents of all ages with access to books, technology, quiet study spaces, educational programs, and cultural events. While its services are highly valued, current opening hours do not fully meet the growing and diverse needs of the community.

Key Points:

1. Meeting Increased Demand from Students and Professionals

The library is frequently used by high school and university students, especially during exam periods, as well as remote workers and freelancers. Extended hours in the evenings and on weekends would give them much needed access to quiet study and workspaces outside of traditional business hours.

2. Inclusivity for Working Families

Working parents and caregivers often find it difficult to visit the library during its current hours. Extending the opening hours on weekends and Friday evening would improve access for families who want to read with their children, attend programs, or borrow books after work, sporting activities, or school hours.

3. Reducing Social Isolation

For seniors and other vulnerable groups, the library is more than just a place for books, it’s a safe, social, and inclusive environment. More flexible hours would allow greater engagement.

4. Economic and Educational Benefits

A well utilized library contributes to educational outcomes, digital literacy, and economic participation. Investing in extended hours is an investment in the social and intellectual capital of Lane Cove.

5. Benchmarking with Comparable Libraries

Many councils across NSW have their libraries open later Friday, Saturday, and Sundays. Extending Lane Cove Library’s hours would bring it in line with best practices and demonstrate the council’s commitment to serving a growing and diverse population.

Conclusion

Extending Lane Cove Library's opening hours is a reasonable, community driven initiative that would enhance access, inclusion, and educational opportunity for all residents. As Lane Cove continues to grow, so too should the availability of its most essential public services.

There is a real opportunity to extend the current Library hours on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until 7:00pm for a trial period of six months, during which time council staff could collect data and community feedback with a view to presenting the information to a workshop and subsequent council meeting for further consideration.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council consider the initiative of extending library opening hours at the next Corporate Planning Weekend and as part of the 2026/27 Budget preparation process.

Councillor Caleb Taylor

Councillor

ATTACHMENTS:

There are no supporting documents for this report.

Ordinary Council Meeting 18 September 2025

Election of Deputy Mayor

Subject: Election of Deputy Mayor

Record No: SU868 - 60373/25

Division: Corporate and Strategy Division

Author(s): Stephen Golding

Executive Summary

The purpose of this report is to consider the election of a Councillor to the office of Deputy Mayor for a term ending September 2026.

Background

Election of Deputy Mayor

At its meeting on 10 October 2024, Council resolved (192/2024) to elect a Deputy Mayor for the period ending September 2025.

In accordance with the Schedule 7 of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021, the general manager, or a person appointed by the general manager is the returning officer. The returning officer is to announce the names of the nominees at the council meeting at which the election is to be held.

If only one Councillor is nominated, that Councillor is elected. If more than one Councillor is nominated, the council is to resolve whether the election is to proceed by:

a. open voting

b. ordinary ballot

c. preferential ballot

The election is to be held at the council meeting at which the council resolved on the method of voting. The returning officer is to conduct the ballot.

If the method is open vote, this is to be conducted by a show of hands. If the method is by preferential or ordinary ballot, this will be conducted by a secret vote.

Secret votes are not able to be conducted by remote audio-visual methods, therefore in the event some councillors are granted approval by the council to participate in the council meeting by remote audio-visual link, the most practicable method will be to conduct the election by open voting.

The Office of Local Government’s fact sheet for the Election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor by Councillors setting out election procedures is attached to the report.(AT1)

Nomination forms

Councillors have been provided nomination forms for the position of Deputy Mayor. Nominations must be handed to the General Manager (as returning officer) prior to the commencement of the Ordinary Council Meeting on 18 September 2025.

Clause 2, Schedule 7, of the Local Government (General) Regulation (2005) provides that nominations for Deputy Mayor must be in writing and signed by at least two (2) Councillors, one of whom may be the nominee. The nominee must consent in writing to the nomination and the Returning Officer will announce at the meeting the names of all nominees.

A copy of the nomination form is attached to this report. (AT-2)

RECOMMENDATION

That Council:

1. determine whether to elect a Deputy Mayor in accordance with section 231 of the Local Government Act 1993 and for a term ending September 2026;

2. if required, nominations be called for candidates for the office of Deputy Mayor;

3. if required, determine the method of election for the Deputy Mayor to be conducted by one of the following methods:

A. Open voting

B. Ordinary ballot

C. Preferential ballot; and

4. conduct any election of the Deputy Mayor in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021.

Steven Kludass

Director - Corporate Services and Strategy

Corporate and Strategy Division

ATTACHMENTS:

AT‑1 View	Election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor by Councillors Fact Sheet - Election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor by Councillors Fact Sheet	6 Pages	Available Electronically
AT‑2 View	Nomination Form for the Office of Deputy Mayor 2025	1 Page	Available Electronically

Ordinary Council Meeting 18 September 2025

SEP 2025 Update - Lane Cove Sport and Recreation Project

Item No: 5

Subject: SEP 2025 Update - Lane Cove Sport and Recreation Project

Record No: SU9115 - 63058/25

Division: Office of the General Manager

Author(s): Sebastian Stivala

Executive Summary

The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the construction status of the Galuwa Recreation Centre (formerly known as Lane Cove Sport and Recreation Facility) and to seek Council approval to a reforecast of the project budget by 1.85% from the previously approved $81M to $82.5M.

The Galuwa Recreation Centre project is nearing practical completion, which is currently forecast for November 2025. While construction progress remains positive, previously identified risks associated with the project, particularly latent conditions, continue to impact the project budget. The primary risk at this stage of the project is surplus spoil management and site remediation, however with earthworks reaching completion, the associated costs and quantities of soil that have been required to be removed from the site are known, and a budget variance will be required to accommodate these additional costs.

The additional costs will exceed the approved budget of $81M by approximately $1M, representing a 1.23% variation to the approved project budget, thus bringing the construction project to approximately $82M.

In addition to the additional construction related costs, there are a number of other works in progress that can be referred to a ‘precinct wide works’. These works include items such as the signalised intersection, practice putting green and golf course (including the upgrades to the first tee), general signage, consultants, and it is recommended that a further allowance of $500,000 be allocated to these works for contingency purposes.

The addition of this contingency amount for ‘precinct wide works’ would result in an overall budget increase to approximately $82.5M representing a 1.85% increase over the approved $81M budget.

Background

Detailed information related to the history of the project is available in previous reports to Council, but in summary the Lane Cove Sport and Recreation project commenced in 2008, progressing through various stages until 2016. During this time, a number of studies, community consultation and stakeholder engagement was undertaken before Council sought expressions of interest from industry in 2018.

In 2019 the project gained Council approval to progress through the design and planning phase, including further community consultation and stakeholder engagement through to 2021.

Feedback received was adopted into the design, and the development application was approved in May 2023.

Construction began in August 2023 which aligned with the conditions of the Office of Sport Grant funding. Construction has progressed steadily, with no significant deviations in design. Completion is forecast for late 2025 ahead of the adjusted contract schedule.

Council has remained largely insulated from external commercial and economic pressures, under the terms of a well-provisioned contract.

The facility once complete will provide:

- 8 x multi-sport courts (4 indoor + 4 outdoor courts).

- Golfing amenities and Pro-Shop.

Three (3) flexible program space(s) 97m2 each for recreation and leisure activities, functions, and events incorporating a separate bar and lounge space

- One (1) 360m2 multi-purpose space with sprung timber floor and spectator viewing.

- Bistro, commercial kitchen and outdoor dining.

- 248 parking spaces, including 5 accessible, 20 bicycle and 16 motorcycle.

Budget and timing summary

A black background with a black square

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Request for additional project budget

An additional $1.5M is being sought to fulfil Council’s commitment to the ADCO contract and to cover other project and other ‘precinct wide’ costs through to completion. A breakdown of the request is as follows:

ADCO Contract

The Galuwa Recreation Centre project is nearing practical completion, which is currently forecast for November 2025. While construction progress remains positive, previously identified risks associated with the project, particularly latent conditions, continue to impact the project budge and account for the majority of cost overruns. This has largely been mitigated through an effective spoil retention strategy, delivering both cost savings and improved outcomes.

These project risks were identified in 2024 and resulted in Council approving in May 2024 an additional $6M to the project budget, resulting in the current $81M project budget.

The current costs associated with the previously identified risks are shown below:

- Latent conditions $6.48M

- Authority Approvals $1.92M

- Provisional Sum Costs $2.49M

The primary risk that remains at this stage of the project is surplus spoil management and site remediation, however with earthworks reaching completion, the associated costs and quantities of soil that have been required to be removed from the site are known, and a budget variance will be required to accommodate these additional costs.

Notwithstanding the above, the additional costs will exceed the approved budget of $81M by approximately $1M, representing a 1.23% variation to the approved project budget, thus bringing the construction project to approximately $82M.

Contingency – precinct wide works

To maintain good corporate governance, it is recommended a small contingency be allocated to cover potential latent conditions and other precinct wide related costs to completion. A sum of $500,000 is recommended for this purpose. This approach enables Council to meet financial obligations effectively and improve transparency in reporting on project and capital works budgets.

Ongoing Cost Risk Exposure

With Practical Completion forecast for November 2025, the project team does not anticipate significant further project budget deviations. All known and anticipated cost /risks have been incorporated into the current budget forecast.

The team will continue to closely monitor progress and manage the contract through to finalisation.

Funding source for additional $1.5M project budget

The $1.5M forecast project variance is proposed to be funded by the Capital Works Reserve, which currently holds an uncommitted balance of approximately $5.7 M. The purpose of a capital works reserve is for scenarios such as this, noting that the report to Council in May 2024 identified the reserve as a suitable funding source in the event of project cost overruns.

Conclusion

Construction of the Galuwa Recreation Centre is scheduled for completion in November 2025. The committed project costs to complete is forecast at approximately $82 million.

In addition, to ensure Council can effectively meet its financial obligations and account for potential costs associated with any additional anticipated project costs as described, it is recommended that Council approve $500K (0.61%) contingency, taking the total project budget and associated capital works to $82.5 million approx (representing a 1.85% increase from the approved $81M project budget).

Funding has been identified from the Capital Works Reserve, with no impact to other existing projects. The 2025/26 Budget will be updated to reflect the necessary adjustments required in both total budget and source of funding as part of the September Budget Review process

RECOMMENDATION

That Council:

1. receive and note the report; and

2. reflect the necessary budget adjustments in the 2025/26 September Quarter Budget Review.

Louise Kerr

General Manager

Office of the General Manager

ATTACHMENTS:

There are no supporting documents for this report.

Ordinary Council Meeting 18 September 2025

Proposed Voluntary Planning Agreement for 2-4 Pacific Highway, St Leonards

Item No: 6

Subject: Proposed Voluntary Planning Agreement for 2-4 Pacific Highway, St Leonards

Record No: SU6258 - 53613/25

Division: General Manager's Unit

Author(s): David Stevens

Executive Summary

The purpose of this report is to seek Council’s endorsement to publicly exhibit a draft Planning Agreement for 2-4 Pacific Highway St Leonards.

Council has received an offer to enter into a Planning Agreement with JCDecaux (the Proponent). The Offer (AT-1) comprises a monetary contribution for local works or projects at Council’s discretion and, a share of advertising time on the sign, at no charge to Council. First payment of the monetary contribution will be made at Practical Completion of the proposed LED Billboard upgrade.

A Development Application (DA) has been prepared but not submitted for an upgraded LEP Billboard at 2-4 Pacific Highway, St Leonards. Upon submission and pending Council’s endorsement of the Draf VPA, both will be publicly exhibited concurrently.

Senior Council staff have considered the Offer and determined there is a public benefit arising that includes financial and social benefit to Council and the broader community. A draft Planning Agreement (PA) has been prepared and is now presented to Council for consideration (AT-2).

If Council agrees, the draft PA and supporting documentation will be publicly exhibited in accordance with statutory requirements (28 days) with the outcomes of the community consultation reported to Council.

Background

Council has received a Letter of Public Benefit Offer from the Proponent to enter into a Planning Agreement (PA) for the site.

State Environmental Planning Policy Industry and Employment (SEPP) (Chapter 3 Advertising and Signage) provides Council with the assessment criteria to consider for signage, in conjunction with Council’s own DCP controls.

Clause 3.1 of the SEPP titled “Aims, objectives” section (3) “to ensure that public benefits may be derived from advertising in and adjacent to transport corridors” is a cornerstone of the Proponents offer, and indeed Council’s assessment thereof.

A Planning Agreement is a legal arrangement between a Developer/Landowner and Council to facilitate the delivery of a public benefit. Public benefits may include the dedication of land at no cost to Council, the payment of a monetary contribution and/or the provision of infrastructure works.

Planning Agreements are voluntary and initiated by the developer.

Discussion

The Proponent offers the following public benefit contributions:

1. A 5% share of advertising time at no charge to Council that may only be used for community messages that are directly affiliated with Council; and

2. A fixed (recurring) monetary contribution of $10,000 per annum indexed at CPI to be expended by Council on local community works or projects at Council’s discretion.

Council staff have determined that the annually indexed monetary contribution shall be deployed to the maintenance of Wadanggari Park, St Leonards for a term of 10 years. Under Section 3.19 (2) (a) of the SEPP, consent granted ceases to be in force “on the expiration of 10 years after the date on which the consent becomes effective”. The Proponent’s financial performance under the PA is secured by a $10,000 Bank Guarantee for the 10 year term.

In conjunction with the Monetary Contribution previously agreed in-principle with Realside Pty Ltd at the 170 Pacific Highway site under a separate PA, this Offer will further augment Council’s funding for maintenance and repairs at the award-winning Wadanggari Park site. Further, such external and recurring revenue streams afford Council the opportunity to re-deploy working capital to other projects and works in the LGA.

The proposed share of advertising time at no charge, provides Council an opportunity to elevate community messaging from a prominently visible site and in so doing, raise awareness and activation to capture an audience that extends beyond the LGA. Such an opportunity aligns with Council’s economic development activities that most recently include an agreement to take up the Commonwealth Bank’s “Council iQ” platform on a six (6) month trial basis.

Council iQ has been rolled out to more than 100 Councils and measures economic spend across a diversity of categories that include but are not limited to: date (ie event specific); industry sector (eg retail, hospitality, and professional services); and demographics (age, family, residential location). Events of note that can be “economically measured” are the Lane Cove Festival, Food and Wine by the River, Rotary Fair, and any / all community events at The Canopy and Plaza sites.

Community Consultation

Statement of Intent

The consultation is designed to obtain feedback on the proposed Planning Agreement for the delivery of Public Benefit as described. Any comments received will be reviewed and evaluated to assist in preparing a report back to Council which will determine whether (or not), to accept the Planning Agreement.

Method

Level of Participation	Inform	Inform	Consult
Form of Participation	Open	Targeted	Open
Target Audience	Lane Cove Community and community groups	Properties in the vicinity. Local community associations.	Lane Cove Community
Proposed Medium	Advertisement and e-Newsletter	Notification Letters	Public Exhibition, Website Exhibition and Survey
Indicative Timing	In conjunction with the Development Application Notification

Conclusion

The Monetary Contribution offered for the medium-term maintenance of Wadanggari Park represents a considerable public benefit. Further, it provides flexibility to Council for the re-deployment of financial resources to other unfunded and / or partially funded projects and services in the Lane Cove Local Government Area (LGA).

Simultaneously, and at no charge, Council can pro-actively enhance its community outreach for Council organised and sponsored events and services from the display of advertisements in a prominent location that supports the Lane Cove LGA in terms of activation and visitation.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council:

1. places the draft Planning Agreement for 2-4 Pacific Highway, St Leonards and supporting documentation on public exhibition concurrently with the DA; and

2. receives a report on the outcomes of the public exhibition for the draft Planning Agreement.

Louise Kerr

General Manager

General Manager's Unit

ATTACHMENTS:

AT‑1 View	Letter of Public Benefit Offer: 2-4 Pacific Highway		Available Electronically
AT‑2 View	Final DRAFT VPA 2-4 Pacific Highway - LED Billboard Upgrade	45 Pages	Available Electronically

Ordinary Council Meeting 18 September 2025

New Model Code of Meeting Practice 2025

Subject: New Model Code of Meeting Practice 2025

Record No: SU837 - 61375/25

Division: Corporate and Strategy Division

Author(s): Stephen Golding

Executive Summary

The NSW Office of Local Government released a new Model Code of Meeting Practice for Local Councils in NSW on Friday 29 August 2025, (NSW OLG Circular 25-20). The new 2025 Model Meeting Code has been published in the Government Gazette and is expected to be prescribed under the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021 (the Regulation) shortly.

The new Model Code of Meeting Practice comprises mandatory and non-mandatory provisions.

Councils must adopt a Code of Meeting Practice that incorporates the mandatory provisions of the Model Code of Meeting Practice no later than 31 December 2025.

This report recommends that the Lane Cove Council Draft Code of Meeting Practice which has been developed with regards to the new Model Code, be adopted for community consultation and that a further report addressing any submissions received and any proposed amendments to the Draft Code, be received by Council following the consultation period.

Background

The current Code of Meeting Practice was recently adopted by Council at the Ordinary Council Meeting of 21 August 2025. Council was aware the OLG was finalising the new Model Code of Meeting Practice, however had a statutory obligation to adopt the current version as it was required to do so within 12 months of a council election.

The new Model Code of Meeting Practice has been the subject of discussion and consultation across the local government sector over the past 12 months. Council, on 2 occasions, expressed some concerns in relation to proposed changes, including the banning of pre-meeting briefings.

Council has reviewed the new Model Code of Meeting Practice for Local Councils in NSW with regards to Council’s current Mode of Meeting Practice and developed the Draft Code of Meeting Practice 2025. In doing so, it is recommended that Council adopt all mandatory and non-mandatory provisions of the Model Code, together with several supplementary provisions that are contained in the current Code of Meeting Practice that are considered appropriate for inclusion in the new code and are not inconsistent with any of the mandatory provisions.

The new Draft Code of Meeting Practice 2025 is attached as AT-1.

The OLG Frequently Asked Questions is attached as AT-2.

The Model Code of Meeting Practice prepared by the OLG is attached as AT-3.

The new Draft Code of Meeting Practice 2025 contains different coloured text to highlight the distinction between mandatory provisions (black text), non-mandatory provisions (red text) and supplementary provisions (green text).

Discussion

A key focus of the changes made to the 2025 Model Meeting Code is to ensure meetings are conducted in a dignified and orderly way befitting to a chamber of democracy and to promote community confidence in councils and their decisions.

The following is a summary of the major changes, noting they are all ‘mandatory provisions’ that cannot be altered (mandatory provisions are identified as black text in AT-1).

Prohibition on pre-meeting briefing sessions:

• The 2025 Model Meeting Code prohibits briefing sessions being held to brief councillors on business listed on the agenda for meetings of the council or committees of the council.

• The prohibition on briefing sessions does not prevent a councillor from requesting information from the general manager about a matter to be considered at a meeting, provided the information is also available to the public. The information must be provided in a way that does not involve any discussion of the information

Public forums:

• The public forum provisions are now mandatory but leave it to councils to determine whether to hold public forums before council and committee meetings.

• Councils are also free to determine the rules under which public forums are to be conducted and when they are to be held. OLG will be issuing model best practice public forum rules that councils can use if they choose to.

• Public forums must be livestreamed.

It is recommended that Council conduct Public Forums on the same evening as Council Meetings, prior to the commencement of the council meeting. It is further recommended that Public Forums commence at 6.30pm and conclude at 7.30pm. It is also recommended to reference the rules of public forums as ‘Guidelines’ accompanying the Model Code, rather than provisions enshrined within the Model Code itself.

Dealing with disorder:

• Councils will be required to determine on the adoption of the new code and at the commencement of each council term, whether to authorise the person presiding at a meeting to exercise a power of expulsion.

• The definition of acts of disorder by councillors have changed. The following constitute acts of disorder under the Regulation and the 2025 Model Meeting Code:

o contravening the Act, the Regulation, or the council’s code of meeting practice,

o assaulting, or threatening to assault, another councillor or person present at the meeting,

o moving or attempting to move a motion or an amendment that has an unlawful pose, or deals with a matter that is outside the jurisdiction of the council or committee or addressing or attempting to address the council or committee on or such a motion, amendment or matter,

o using offensive or disorderly words,

o making gestures or otherwise behaving in a way that is sexist, racist, homophobic or otherwise discriminatory, or if the behaviour occurred in the Legislative Assembly, would be considered disorderly,

o imputing improper motives, or unfavourably personally reflecting, on another council official or a person present at the meeting, or

o saying or doing anything that would promote disorder at the meeting or is otherwise inconsistent with maintaining order at the meeting.

• Where a councillor fails to remedy an act of disorder at the meeting at which it occurs, they can be required to do so at each subsequent meeting until they remedy the act of disorder. On each occasion the councillor fails to comply with a direction by the chairperson to remedy an act of disorder, they can be expelled from the meeting and each subsequent meeting until they comply.

• Members of the public can be expelled from meetings for engaging in disorderly conduct. Disorderly conduct includes:

o speaking at meetings without being invited to,

o bringing flags, signs or protest symbols to meetings,

o disrupting meetings,

o making unauthorised recordings of meetings.

• The 2025 Model Meeting Code notes that failure by a councillor or members of the public to leave a meeting when expelled is an offence under section 660 of the Act. Section 660 provides that a person who wilfully obstructs a council, councillor, employee of a council or a duly authorised person in the exercise of any function under the Act, or Regulation is guilty of an offence. An offence under section 660 carries a maximum fine of $2,100.

Councillors’ attendance at meetings by audio-visual link:

• The provisions governing attendance by councillors at meetings by audio-visual link have been made mandatory and the option to attend meetings by audio-visual link has been restricted to where councillors are prevented from attending a meeting in person because of ill-health or other medical reasons or because of unforeseen caring responsibilities.

New rules of etiquette at meetings:

• Councils may determine standards of dress for councillors when attending meetings.

• Where physically able to, councillors and staff are encouraged to stand when the mayor enters the chamber and when addressing the meeting.

• The 2025 Model Meeting Code prescribes modes of address.

Making information considered at closed meetings public:

• Consistent with ICAC’s recommendation, the general manager must publish business papers for items of business considered during meetings that have been closed to public on the council’s website as soon as practicable after the information contained in the business papers ceases to be confidential.

• Before publishing this information, the general manager must consult with the council and any other affected persons and provide reasons for why the information has ceased to be confidential.

The following is a summary of the major changes, noting they are all ‘non-mandatory provisions’ (non-mandatory provisions are identified as red text in AT-1) that can be altered however it is recommended they be incorporated into the new Model Code.

Power of Expulsion:

• On the adoption of the Code and at the commencement of each council term, the council must determine whether to authorise the person presiding at a meeting to exercise a power of expulsion.

• If adopted, clause’s 15.15 and 15.16 of the Model Code confer a standing authorisation on all chairpersons of meetings of the council and committees of the council to expel persons from meetings.

• If adopted, clause 15.15 authorises chairpersons to expel any person, including a councillor, from a council or committee meeting.

• Alternatively, if adopted, clause 15.16 authorises chairpersons to expel persons other than councillors from a council or committee meeting (5.35).

It is recommended that Clause 15.16 of the Model Code apply in Council’s new Draft Model Code of Meeting Practice 2025.

Record of Voting:

• All voting at council meetings, (including meetings that are closed to the public), must be recorded in the minutes of meetings with the names of councillors who voted for and against each motion or amendment (including the use of the casting vote) being recorded (11.10).

This reflects Council’s current practice.

Dealing with Items by Exception:

• The council or a committee of council may, at any time, resolve to adopt multiple items of business on the agenda together by way of a single resolution where it considers it necessary to expedite the consideration of business at a meeting (13.1).

• Before the council or committee resolves to adopt multiple items of business on the agenda together under clause 13.1, the chairperson must list the items of business to be adopted and ask councillors to identify any individual items of business listed by the chairperson that they intend to vote against the recommendation made in the business paper or that they wish to speak on (13.2).

• The council or committee must not resolve to adopt any item of business under clause 13.1 that a councillor has identified as being one they intend to vote against the recommendation made in the business paper or to speak on (13.3).

• Where the consideration of multiple items of business together under clause 13.1 involves a variation to the order of business for the meeting, the council or committee must resolve to alter the order of business in accordance with clause 8.2 (13.4).

• A motion to adopt multiple items of business together under clause 13.1 must identify each of the items of business to be adopted and state that they are to be adopted as recommended in the business paper (13.5).

• Items of business adopted under clause 13.1 are to be taken to have been adopted unanimously (13.6).

• Councillors must ensure that they declare and manage any conflicts of interest they may have in relation to items of business considered together under clause 13.1 (13.7).

It is recommended these non-mandatory provisions be included in Council’s new Draft Code of Meeting Practice.

Recommitting resolutions to correct an error:

• Despite the provisions of this Part, a councillor may, with the leave of the chairperson, move to recommit a resolution adopted at the same meeting (17.16):

(a) to correct any error, ambiguity or imprecision in the council’s resolution, or

(b) to confirm the voting on the resolution.

• In seeking the leave of the chairperson to move to recommit a resolution for the purposes of clause 17.16(a), the councillor is to propose alternative wording for the resolution (17.17).

• The chairperson must not grant leave to recommit a resolution for the purposes of clause 17.16(a), unless they are satisfied that the proposed alternative wording of the resolution would not alter the substance of the resolution previously adopted at the meeting (17.18).

• A motion moved under clause 17.16 can be moved without notice. Despite any other provision of this code, only the mover of a motion referred to in clause 17.15 and the chairperson, if they are not the mover of the motion, can speak to the motion before it is put (17.19).

• A motion of dissent cannot be moved against a ruling by the chairperson under clause 17.16 (17.20).

• A motion moved under clause 17.16 with the leave of the chairperson cannot be voted on unless or until it has been seconded (17.21).

Time limits on Council Meetings:

• If the business of the meeting is unfinished at 11:00 pm (the time the council has determined), and the council does not resolve to extend the meeting, the chairperson must either (18.2):

(a) defer consideration of the remaining items of business on the agenda to the next ordinary meeting of the council, or

(b) adjourn the meeting to a time, date and place fixed by the chairperson.

• Clause 18.2 does not limit the ability of the council or a committee of the council to resolve to adjourn a meeting at any time. The resolution adjourning the meeting must fix the time, date and place that the meeting is to be adjourned to (18.3).

• Where a meeting is adjourned under clause 18.2 or 18.3, the general manager must (18.4):

(a) individually notify each councillor of the time, date and place at which the meeting will reconvene, and

(b) publish the time, date and place at which the meeting will reconvene on the council’s website and in such other manner that the general manager is satisfied is likely to bring notice of the time, date and place of the reconvened meeting to the attention of as many people as possible

The following is a summary of the ‘supplementary provisions’ which are non-mandatory provisions that either add value or context to the new Model Code (supplementary provisions are identified as green text in AT-1):

• The inclusion of ‘Respectful’ to the Meeting Principles section of the Code (this is in the current Code).

• Clarification that seven (7) days’ notice before a meeting of the Council includes a Saturday, Sunday and/or a Public Holiday (this is in the current Code).

• Notice of Motions are to be submitted within 14 days before the Ordinary Council meeting is to be held (by 5.00pm on the Thursday, two weeks before the Council meeting).

• The inclusion of guidance around the consideration of Late Items (this is in the current Code).

• The inclusion of a statement of ethical obligations (this is in the current code).

• The rules under which public forums are to be conducted and when they are to be held are proposed to be outlined in a Public Forums Guidelines (2025) document to be developed.

• A limitation may be placed on the number of members of the public admitted to a meeting of the Council or a Committee of the Council, where such a limitation is for reason of safety or security (this is in the current Code).

• The recording of a meeting is to be made publicly available on the council’s website at the same time as the meeting is taking place or as soon as practicable after the meeting, if technical difficulties are being experienced during the meeting. (inclusion of wording in italics).

• Councillors and Council Officers are required to stand and use their microphone when speaking during a Council Meeting (this is in the current Code).

• The general order of business is included in the Draft Code (this is in the current Code).

• Where a motion is moved and seconded, the chairperson shall enquire before the speech in support of the motion whether there is any dissent, if there is no dissent the motion shall then be put without discussion. When dissent is expressed, the speakers shall be in a series of for and against. (this is in the current Code).

• The inclusion of how Foreshadowed Motions are to be managed (this is in the current Code).

• The grounds on which a meeting is closed to the public must be specified in the decision to close the meeting and recorded in the minutes of the meeting. (this is in the current Code).

• The inclusion of how to manage speakers who wish to speak before Council goes into a Closed Session (this is in the current Code).

• A point of order cannot be made with respect to adherence to the principles contained in the Meeting Principles. (this is in the current Code).

• The inclusion of attendance provisions at Committee Meetings (this is in the current Code).

• The inclusion of foreshadowed amendments and motions in the definitions section of the Code (this is in the current Code).

Given the number and nature of changes to the Code of Meeting Practice, it is important the Office of Local Government offer appropriate training and development to council officials in implementing the new provisions of the Model Code.

Community Consultation

Statement of Intent

The consultation is designed to ascertain the community’s views on the Draft Code of Meeting Practice 2025. Any comments received will be reviewed and evaluated to determine whether to incorporate any amendments or additional supplementary provisions.

Method

Level of Participation	Inform	Consult
Form of Participation	Open	Open
Target Audience	Lane Cove Community	Lane Cove Community
Proposed Medium	e-Newsletter	Website Exhibition “Have Your Say”
Indicative Timing	Late September to early November 2025l

Conclusion

The new Model Code of Meeting Practice for Local Councils in NSW, was released on 29 August 2025 by the Office of Local Government.

It is recommended that Council adopts all the mandatory, non-mandatory and supplementary provisions set out in the new Model Code of Meeting Practice.

It is recommended that the Draft Code of Meeting Practice 2025 be adopted for the purpose of community consultation and that a further report be received by Council following the public exhibition period.

RECOMMENDATION

That:

1. Council adopt, for the purpose of public exhibition, the Draft Code of Meeting Practice 2025 which includes both mandatory and non-mandatory provisions, consistent with the Office of Local Government’s Model Code of Meeting Practice and ‘supplementary provisions’ as outlined in this report;

2. Council endorse the proposal to conduct Public Forums immediately prior to Ordinary Council Meetings with a commencement time of 6.30pm and a conclusion time of 7.30pm;

3. Council undertakes community consultation for a period of six (6) weeks as per the consultation plan outlined in this report;

4. following the public exhibition period, the Draft Code of Meeting Practice, together with a report on any submissions received and any proposed amendments, be considered at the Council meeting to be held 20 November 2025, and

5. Council write to the Office of Local Government requesting that they provide training and development (and/or tools) that is offered to Mayors and other council officials in implementing the provisions of the new Model Code.

Steven Kludass

Director - Corporate Services and Strategy

Corporate and Strategy Division

ATTACHMENTS:

AT‑1 View	Draft Code of Meeting Practice 2025	Available Electronically
AT‑2 View	Model Meeting Code - FAQ	Available Electronically
AT‑3 View	OLG - Model Code of Meeting Practice	Available Electronically

Ordinary Council Meeting 18 September 2025

Establishment of a Performance Review Panel - General Manager

Item No: 8

Subject: Establishment of a Performance Review Panel - General Manager

Record No: SU828 - 60691/25

Division: Corporate Services and Strategy Division

Author(s): Steven Kludass

Executive Summary

The purpose of this report is to appoint a Performance Review Panel to review the performance of the recently appointed General Manager (GM), and to delegate to the panel the performance management of the GM having regard to the guidelines issued by the Office of Local Government, Department of Planning and Environment (2022).

Background

It is proposed that the performance management of the new GM be undertaken in accordance with the ‘Guidelines for the Appointment and Oversight of General Managers 2022’ publication prepared by the Office of Local Government in 2022. A copy of the publication is available at AT-1.

The guidelines state that Council’s governing body is to establish a Performance Review Panel and delegate the task of performance management of the GM to the panel.

The guidelines also identify that the Performance Review Panel be comprised of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, a Councillor nominated by Council and a Councillor nominated by the GM.

Being newly appointed, the GM prefers to forgo her opportunity to nominate a Councillor, in favour of Council nominating 2 Councillors for the panel. The GM is of the view that having 2 Council-nominated Councillors will best reflect the governing body’s collective expectations of the GM.

The guidelines recommend that full responsibility of performance management of the GM be delegated to the Performance Review Panel, including discussions about performance, any actions that should be taken and the determination of the initial and subsequent performance agreements. This includes the conduct of formal performance reviews and reporting of findings and recommendations to Council following performance reviews.

The guidelines also provide that:

· The governing body of Council and the GM may agree on the involvement of an external facilitator to assist with the process of performance review and the development of a performance agreement. This person should be selected by the governing body of Council or the Performance Review Panel.

· At all times, those Councillors not on the panel can contribute to the performance review process by providing feedback to the Mayor on the performance of the GM, relevant to the agreed performance criteria in the performance agreement.

Discussion

The GM is accountable to Council, principally through the contract of employment. The contract requires that the performance of the GM is to be reviewed at least annually against agreed performance criteria.

Consistent with previous practice, it is considered appropriate for Council to undertake the GM’s performance management in accordance with the ‘Guidelines for the Appointment and Oversight of General Managers 2022’ publication, issued by the Office of Local Government and to delegate the performance management of the GM to a Performance Review Panel established in accordance with the guidelines.

The guidelines require performance criteria to be agreed within 3 months of commencement of employment and set out in a performance agreement. Within a further 2 months of signing the performance agreement the GM must submit to Council an action plan establishing how performance criteria are to be met.

To align with Council’s planning and performance cycle, it is proposed that the year one performance cycle be for the period 21 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.

Given this will be the first performance agreement set for the new GM, the Mayor is proposing that the draft performance agreement for the 2025/26 performance year be reported to Council at the October Ordinary Council Meeting for adoption following discussions with the GM, Performance Review Panel and external facilitator.

RECOMMENDATION

That for the remainder of the Council term, Council:

1. undertake performance management of the General Manager having regard to the Guidelines for the Appointment and Oversight of General Managers 2022 issued by the Office of Local Government;

2. establish a Performance Review Panel to undertake the performance management of the General Manager;

3. resolve the composition of the General Manager’s Performance Review Panel to consist of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and 2 nominated Councillors through to June 2026;

4. delegate the panel responsibility for performance management of the General Manager, including discussions about performance and performance reviews, any actions that should be taken, the determination of each new performance agreement, the reporting of performance findings and recommendations to Council, and the selection of a qualified external facilitator to assist with the performance review process, and the development of each performance agreement; and

5. agree to the involvement of an external facilitator to assist with the performance review process and the development of each new performance agreement.

Steven Kludass

Director - Corporate Services and Strategy

Corporate Services and Strategy Division

ATTACHMENTS:

AT‑1 View

Guidelines for the Appointment & Oversight of General Managers

Available Electronically

Ordinary Council Meeting 18 September 2025

MOTIONS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT NSW ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2025

Item No: 9

Subject: 2025 Local Government NSW Conference Motions

Record No: SU10698 - 58165/25

Division: Corporate Services and Strategy Division

Author(s): Stephen Golding

Executive Summary

The purpose of this report is to recommend motions to submit to the Local Government NSW (LGNSW) annual conference to be held Sunday 23 November to Tuesday 25 November 2025.

Background

LGNSW is the peak industry body for councils across NSW and its annual conference is the main policy making event for all NSW councils and associate members. The 2025 conference will be held in Penrith between Sunday 23 November and Tuesday 25 November 2025.

Motions proposed to be submitted to the annual conference are first required to be supported by Council resolution.

The latest date motions can be accepted for inclusion in the business paper for the LGNSW Conference is 12 midnight (AEDT) on Sunday 26 October 2025. Members however are encouraged to submit motions by 30 September 2025.

The annual conference can only accommodate debate on approximately 100 motions within the available time and as such LGNSW requests that motions be limited to those addressing the highest priorities.

The LGNSW Board has resolved that motions will be included in the Business Paper for the Conference only where they fit in with the following criteria.

Criteria for motions

To be included in the Business Paper, motions must:

1. Be consistent with the objects of the LGNSW Rules (Rule 4)

2. Demonstrate that the issue concerns or is likely to concern a substantial number of local governments in NSW

3. Seek to establish or change a policy position of LGNSW and/or improve governance of the association (noting that the LGNSW Board is responsible for any decisions around resourcing and campaigns or operational activities, and any necessary resource allocations will be subject to the LGNSW budgetary process)

4. Be strategic

5. Be concise, clearly worded and unambiguous

6. Not be focused on just a small specific part of NSW

7. Not encourage violation of prevailing laws

8. Not seek to advantage one or several members at the expense of other members.

Motions of a similar objective:

9. May be consolidated by LGNSW as a single item.

Motions reflecting existing LGNSW policy:

10. Remain part of LGNSW’s Policy Platform but will not be included for debate as they have already been considered by Conference.

Discussion

There are four (4) proposed motions for the LGNSW Conference that address key issues affecting the Lane Cove community.

Motions 1 and 2 have arisen from resolutions of Council from the 21 June and 24 July 2025 Council meetings being Notice of Motion – Electoral Campaign Reform for Local Governments: Review and Response to the Conduct of the 2025 Federal Election (Resolution 124/25) and Notice of Motion - Leadership In Child Safety - Working With Children Checks For Elected Councillors (Resolution 149/25).

Two further motions have been received from Councillors for consideration, those being Motion 3 and Motion 4.

Accordingly, it is recommended that the four (4) motions be submitted for inclusion in Local Government NSW Conference Agenda for discussion and debate.

Suggested Motions

Motion 1

Motion Title

Electoral Campaign Reform for Local Governments:

Motion

That Local Government NSW (LGNSW) requests that the Federal and State Electoral Commissioners liaise with Councils to review current rules and regulations governing electoral campaigning and in particular campaign rules around the erection of signage on public property and at polling booths so that the rules are consistent across all levels of government.

Background note

During the 2025 Federal election campaign, the conduct of some political participants fell short of the standards of integrity, fairness, and adherence to local government rules. These behaviors pose a risk to the integrity and goodwill of democratic processes and placed significant strain on Council resources. Political materials were mass-produced and widely distributed, with many illegally installed on public land and infrastructure.

Council staff worked diligently to remove these items, particularly plastic signage and digital trailers to ensure public safety, accessibility, and amenity. Numerous community complaints were received, diverting rangers from their core duties.

Motion 2

Motion Title

Mandatory Working with Children Checks (WWCC) for Elected Councillors (and MPs) in NSW

Motion

That Local Government NSW (LGNSW):

1. Advocate to the NSW Government to amend the Local Government Act 1993 to require a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) prior to a Councillor taking the oath or affirmation of office, using the proposed wording; insert in s233A after (1) of the Act;

(1A) Before taking the oath of office or making the affirmation of office under subsection (1), a Councillor must provide the general manager with evidence of holding a current Working With Children Check (WWCC) clearance issued under the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012.

A Councillor who does not comply with this subsection is not entitled to take the oath or affirmation and must not exercise any functions of civic office until the requirement is met.

2. Request the Office of Local Government (OLG) and the Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG) to issue guidance for councils on privacy, verification, exemptions/appeals, transition arrangements for sitting councillors, and record-keeping by General Managers.

3. Support inclusion in the Model Code of Conduct of an obligation to maintain a current WWCC where duties involve interaction with children and to provide proof to the General Manager, consistent with the legislative amendment, using the proposed wording,

Councillors must maintain a current Working With Children Check (WWCC) clearance where their official duties may involve interaction with children and must provide proof of such clearance to the General Manager as required by s 233A(1A) of the Local Government Act 1993.

4. Write to the Premier and the Minister for Local Government seeking Cabinet consideration of these reforms; and raise the matter with the Federal Minister for Local Government (via ALGA) to explore a nationally harmonised approach for elected representatives.

Background note

Recent high-profile child-safety failures have heightened community expectations that public officials model best practice. In NSW, council staff and volunteers who do “child-related work” must hold a WWCC under the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012. However, elected councillors are not currently required to hold a WWCC because the role is not classified as child-related work.

Despite this, Councillors, especially Mayors, regularly meet children and families at school visits, citizenship ceremonies, library storytimes, youth events, holiday programs and major civic events. The inconsistency between strict screening for staff/volunteers and no screening for elected officials undermines public confidence.

This motion proposes a straightforward fix: require councillors to obtain a WWCC before taking office, with complementary Code of Conduct provisions and practical guidance for councils. The approach is low-burden, privacy-aware, and signals that child safety and integrity are core expectations of civic leadership. It also requests national exploration, via ALGA, for consistency across jurisdictions.

Motion 3

Motion Title

Supporting people seeking asylum within our communities.

Motion:

That Local Government NSW (LGNSW) write to the Minister for Immigration to call upon the Australian Government to:

1. Provide people seeking asylum with a valid visa and the opportunity to work while they await decisions on their protection application, including automating the bridging renewal process. By providing people work rights, they can contribute skills to Australia, remain independent in society and stay engaged in the immigration system.

2. Expand the eligibility criteria of the Status Resolution Support Services program to ensure people’s basic needs are met, including health care, accommodation, crisis support, so people in need can live safely and not in destitution and deep poverty.

3. Provide a fair pathway to permanency for the approximately 7,700 individuals who were subjected to the 'Fast Track' visa assessment process.

Background note

Councils support refugee resettlement, provide services for newly arrived migrants, fill the gaps in the provision of essential human services when there are no other providers, and advocate for equitable access to infrastructure and services.

Four out of five people seeking protection in our communities are not eligible for federal funded support and rely on support from local government and charities to keep food on the table. This has placed huge burdens on local government and service providers, families are facing poverty and trust in Government systems is eroded.

Financial assistance delivered through the Federally funded Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) Program has been cut by 93% (from $300 million in 2015-16 to $20 million in 2025-26) and the number of people assisted has dropped to only 1,057 in 2024. The NSW government has ceased support in expectation the Federal Government would step in.

Lengthy delays in visa processing have made the situation much worse. The lack of assistance, coupled with extended waiting times for decisions, have led to people waiting for over 12 years without access to basic health care, safe accommodation and the opportunity to work or study.

The Australian Federal Government has responsibility for providing people seeking refugee protection with a clear pathway to resolve their immigration status and adequate support mechanisms while they navigate the asylum process.

There are still 8,000 people waiting for their immigration status to be resolved. These individuals, part of the 'Legacy Caseload', arrived in Australia between August 2012 and December 2013 and were subjected to a refugee determination process that has been widely criticized for its lack of procedural fairness.

The 'Fast Track' process limited applicants' rights to a comprehensive review, without the opportunity for interviews or the presentation of new evidence, despite changed country conditions. Many have lived in Australia for over a decade on temporary visas, contributing to their communities, yet remain in a state of uncertainty, unable to reunite with family or access stable employment. Addressing their situation by providing a clear pathway to permanency would rectify past injustices and allow these individuals to fully participate in Australian society.

Since 2018, the Mayoral and Councillor Taskforce Supporting People Seeking Asylum has been advocating for people seeking asylum. The Taskforce is made up of a growing membership of over 40 councils nationwide, including 10 Councils in NSW, who recognise that this issue is of significance to local government.

Motion 4

Motion Title

Early Childhood Education Reforms

Motion:

That Local Government NSW (LGNSW) calls on the NSW Government to:

1. affirm the critical importance of providing safe and high quality to care for children in Early Childhood Education and Care settings,

2. recognise the systemic failure of current systems to ensure quality standards have been met, and as a consequence children have been endangered,

3. acknowledge that for-profit service providers are more likely to fall below acceptable standards, and that Early Childhood Education is best delivered by not-for-profit organisations,

4. acknowledge that Local Councils are well placed to provide and to support not-for profit early childhood education,

5. fund Councils to establish safe staffing ratios so that no educator is left alone with children and acknowledge that CCTV is no substitute for safe staffing,

6. provide block funding to local councils for the purpose of expanding the council-run early learning centres, and to allow councils to help meet demand for early learning across NSW,

7. allocate 100% of Smart & Skilled Funding to TAFE NSW for early childhood education & care training,

8. introduce rent controls upon landlords of early learning centres; and

9. review and resource the regulator so that it is fit for purpose and to ensure that all centres are inspected and quality standards enforced and publicly reported.

Background note

The early learning sector has slowly plunged into a labour crisis driven by low wages, challenging working conditions, and a hyper privatised delivery model that risks putting profit before quality.

Since the 1990s the number of for-profit early learning services has exploded. Previously only representing a fraction of the sector, for-profit services now represent 95% of new builds and government run services represent 10% or less of total market share. This is a result of ceasing block funding for the operation of not-for-profit centres such as councils and introducing subsidies to corporate organisations in the sector.

This creates financial challenges for families as for-profit services cluster in ‘childcare oases’ in wealthier suburbs that can afford higher fees, while much of NSW languishes in a ‘childcare desert’ where there are far more children than available places. This trend is expected to continue with real estate firms such as Ray White and CBRE pitching large size for-profit services as ‘the most stable commercial investment’.

Educators share this challenge, with for-profit providers tending to employ educators on the Children’s Services Award rather than an Enterprise Agreement. This has led to a situation where the majority of educators have indicated in a union survey that they plan to leave the sector in the next few years. A 2024 audit of rental prices by Anglicare, which indicates that less than 1% of rentals are affordable for early childhood educators, suggests that even educators at government run services on the Local Government Award are not immune to this problem.

Recent release of regulator documents in the NSW Parliament, and their reporting by ABC has also shone light on how this impacts child safety. In particular private equity firms like G8 and Affinity have been named in criminal investigations as a result. But data shows that this trend impacts the sector broadly, with over 40% of government services rated ‘exceeding’ compared to 11% of for-profit services. This correlates with a clear pattern of Council services having higher staffing ratios.

The marketisation of training of educators has also created challenges for the sector with Smart and Skilled funding available for private colleges who are incentivised to pass students as quickly as possible. Audits by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) have shown an emerging issue of entirely non-existent qualifications, while fast track programs at other providers are otherwise deemed as lacking by the sector.

Local government is the main provider of public early childhood education and care, and collectively runs approximately 300 services, and hosts many other not-for-profit service providers. Rising land costs in Sydney increasingly also make non-government not-for-profit education and care less viable as trends continue. This makes Councils one of the largest players in not-for-profit early childhood education and care in NSW and means that it is vital that Councils be involved in responding to this crisis.

Recent federal government responses are only the beginning of addressing an issue that deeply impacts our local constituents. Restrictions on the use of phones and vapes and the roll out of CCTV are not intended as nor suitable as preventative measures against child abuse. Safe staffing levels are the most obvious preventative response, and has been highlighted by the relevant Union.

The current minimum standards for staffing ratios were implemented in 2005. They allow for one educator to four babies, one educator to five toddlers, and one educator to ten three- to five-year-olds. As the bare minimum these standards were never intended to represent best practice, and it is well past time that these standards are re-evaluated and best practice for safety established.

Councils are not immune to safety concerns or the labour crisis occurring in the sector. Many Councils rely on private labour hire firms such as ANZUK, Macarthur, and Ranstadt in order to meet ratios due to extended vacancies in lower paid roles or unexpected sick leave. These are educators who are paid less than Council’s in-house staff and are strangers to the children, while the Council pays significant fees to firms.

This means educators who often have no relationship with children or staff may be left alone with children. A significant case of this was reported in the media this year, with an alleged paedophile who worked at after school care in the City of Sydney, Inner West, Northern Beaches, Willoughby. The investigation into this case is ongoing at time of writing.

There are clear reforms to be made by the NSW Government to ensure that the sector meets its potential. This includes genuine resourcing and support of the regulator and strengthening TAFE NSW to ensure that educators are trained appropriately. It also entails resourcing Councils to expand service delivery so that safe, affordable, and high quality public education and care is available for families.

References

https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/202505/NQF%20Snapshot%20Q1%202025%20FINAL.PDF

https://www.raywhitecommercial.com/news-and-market-insights/news-media/western-sydney-childcare-market-shows-resilience-amid-challenges

https://unitedworkers.org.au/archive/60-of-educators-plan-to-leave-amid-staff-shortages/

https://www.anglicare.asn.au/publications/2024-rental-affordability-snapshot/

https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/202505/NQF%20Snapshot%20Q1%202025%20FINAL.PDF

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-07/fast-track-childcare-courses-put-children-at-risk-insiders-warn/105483042

https://unitedworkers.org.au/ecec-safer-staffing/

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/31/after-school-carer-david-james-charged-with-producing-child-abuse-material-at-six-facilities-across-northern-sydney-ntwnfb

Conclusion

To enable full participation in the LGNSW Annual Conference, it is recommended that Council endorse the motions outlined in this report, which are considered primary issues affecting the Lane Cove community for submission to LGNSW for inclusion in the Conference Agenda.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council endorse the draft motions contained in this report seeking their inclusion in the business paper of the LGNSW 2025 Annual Conference.

Steven Kludass

Director - Corporate Services and Strategy

Corporate Services and Strategy Division

ATTACHMENTS:

AT‑1 View

LGNSW Policy Platform 2025

40 Pages

Available Electronically

Ordinary Council Meeting 18 September 2025

Draft - Policy - Council Policy Framework

Item No: 10

Subject: Draft - Policy - Council Policy Framework

Record No: SU6840 - 62985/25

Division: Corporate Services and Strategy Division

Author(s): Stephen Golding

Executive Summary

This report outlines the purpose, structure, and application of Council’s Policy Framework and seeks adoption by Council of the Policy Framework.

The framework establishes a hierarchy for Council policies, Management Directives, and Guidelines, ensuring consistency, transparency, and accountability in Council’s decision-making and operations.

Each document type serves a distinct role, ranging from strategic direction to operational guidance, with clear requirements for approval, review, and publication.

Discussion

Council is committed to a consistent and structured approach in the development, adoption, implementation, amendment, and review of corporate documents. These documents serve a dual purpose: providing transparency to the community regarding Council’s strategic direction, and guiding staff in the effective delivery of services and responsibilities.

The draft Policy Framework (draft Framework) (AT-1) provides the strategic principles for Council policies and outlines the tiers of corporate policy related documents.

The draft Framework consists of three tiers of corporate documents, referred to as:

1. Council Policy – Strategic, community-focused documents adopted by Council resolution.

2. Management Directive – Operational, internal documents guiding staff, approved by the General Manager or delegate.

3. Guideline – Supporting documents that provide detail for implementing policies or directives.

The draft Framework identifies that a Council policy has high level strategic intent, is linked to Council’s Community Strategic Plan and/or is required by relevant legislation and has community focus and/or significant public interest.

The draft Framework contemplates that a Council policy is adopted by Council resolution and published on Council’s website. It also provides that a Council policy may only be revoked or amended by Council resolution.

The draft Framework also proposes that Council policies are reviewed at least once per Council term, or more frequently if required due to material changes to Council’s operating environment such as legislative amendment, Council resolution or a variation to Council’s strategic direction.

It is proposed that, due to the high-level strategic intent of the draft Framework, it be adopted as a Council policy.

The draft Framework provides that the other tiers of corporate documents (management determinations and guidelines) are operational in nature and their purpose is to assist staff in the administration and discharge of their Council duties. Accordingly, the preparation, approval and review of determinations and guidelines is the responsibility of the general manager.

This governance approach is also very common across the local government sector.

Community Consultation

Due to the corporate nature of the document and its alignment to standard industry practice, staff are not proposing to publicly exhibit the draft Framework.

However, if Council considers the likely benefit of doing so outweighs the cost, impact on resources and associated time involved it may resolve to do so.

Conclusion

The draft Policy Framework provides the strategic direction and governance framework for the ongoing management, establishment and review of Council policies, management determinations and guidelines.

The review principles proposed in the draft Framework are a control to ensure Council’s core corporate documents remain relevant, effective and in keeping with community expectations.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council adopt the Draft - Policy - Council Policy Framework.

Steven Kludass

Director - Corporate Services and Strategy

Corporate Services and Strategy Division

ATTACHMENTS:

AT‑1 View

Draft - Policy - Council Policy Framework

4 Pages

Available Electronically

Ordinary Council Meeting 18 September 2025

Asphalt 2027 – NSROC Tender for Road Surfacing, Patching and Associated Works

Item No: 12

Subject: Asphalt 2027 – NSROC Tender for Road Surfacing, Patching and Associated Works

Record No: SU8602 - 62642/25

Division: Open Space and Infrastructure Division

Author(s): Pradip Lamichhane

Executive Summary

Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (NSROC), on behalf of its member councils, invited tenders for the Road Surfacing, Patching and Associated Works Contract to engage suitably qualified contractors and ensure best value for money.

The following service providers are recommended for appointment to panels A, B and C to deliver the specified services in accordance with the technical specifications outlined in the tender:

· Panel A, for Reconstruction/Re-sheeting works: NSW Building & Civil Pty Ltd, Fulton Hogan, Bitupave Ltd T/A NSW Boral Asphalt, Downer EDI, Convil Group, All Pavement Solutions/Bernipave Road Solutions, Stateline Asphalt Pty Ltd, NA Group, State Asphalt Services Pty Ltd, Resco Civil Pty Ltd, and ANJ Asphalt.

· Panel B, for Patching/Heavy Patching works: NSW Building & Civil Pty Ltd, Stateline Asphalt Pty Ltd, Fulton Hogan, Convil Group, All Pavement Solutions/Bernipave Road Solutions, State Asphalt Services Pty Ltd, ANJ Asphalt, NA Group, Roadworx Group Pty Ltd, Downer EDI, JM Schembri, Planet Civil Pty Ltd, Bitupave Ltd T/A NSW Boral Asphalt, Optimal Civil, Fenworx, and Resco Civil Pty Ltd.

· Panel C, for Specialist Services: RPQ Spray Seal Pty. Ltd., SuperSealing and both of which are also appointed under Panels A and B.

Background

NSROC Tender Asphalt 2027 was issued to the market on 16 December 2024 for the supply of asphaltic concrete surfacing and associated works to NSROC member councils over a two-year contract period. To ensure a comprehensive assessment of market conditions and contractor capability, the tender required tenders to provide detailed documentation on qualifications, capacity, and pricing for the supply, supply and delivery, and supply, delivery and laying of various grades and quantities of asphaltic concrete.

Services covered in the tender are:

1. Services (road surfacing and associated works) - Road reconstruction/re-sheeting works

a) Supply, Delivery and Laying of Asphaltic Concrete Products

b) Profiling or Milling

c) Heavy Patching (Milling & Filling) – granular base

d) Edge Milling

e) Traffic Control

f) Supply, Delivery and Laying of other grades of Asphaltic Concrete Products

2. Services (road surfacing and associated works) – Patching and heavy patching

g) Patching of Road Pavement

h) Heavy patching granular base and asphalt intermediate and wearing course

3. Services (road surfacing and associated works) – Specialist services

i) Line and Pavement Marking

j) Other surfacings

k) Bituminous crack sealing of road pavement

l) Pothole investigation

m) Supply only and Supply & deliver Ex Bin asphalt

n) Day works schedule: labour, equipment/plant hire

Discussion

The tender evaluation was conducted in two stages: Non-Price Evaluation and Price Evaluation. Each Council independently reviewed and scored the proposals against the non-price criteria. The Price Evaluation was assessed by comparing each price submission against the lowest priced package, with scores allocated accordingly.

The Tender Evaluation Report provides the overall scores and ratings of each tender and has been provided to Councillors as a separate confidential memo.

Based on the scores, the tender evaluation panel (TEP) agreed on recommending suppliers as follows:

Panel A: Road reconstruction/re-sheeting panel	Tenderers that scored more than 80 points overall
Panel B: Patching and heavy patching panel	Tenderers that scored more than 65 points
Panel C: Panel A, Panel B and specialist suppliers	All tenderers that satisfied the selection criteria

Following evaluation of the responses, the TEP recommends the following panels:

Panel A: Road reconstruction/re-sheeting panel [scored more than 80 points overall]

1. NSW Building & Civil Pty Ltd

2. Fulton Hogan

3. Bitupave Ltd T/A NSW Boral Asphalt

4. Downer EDI

5. Convil Group

6. All Pavement Solutions/ Bernipave Road Solutions

7. Stateline Asphalt Pty Ltd

8. NA Group

9. State Asphalt Services Pty Ltd

10. Resco Civil Pty Ltd

11. ANJ Asphalt

Panel B: Patching and heavy patching panel [scored more than 65 points]

1. NSW Building & Civil Pty Ltd

2. Stateline Asphalt Pty Ltd

3. Fulton Hogan

4. Convil Group

5. All Pavement Solutions/ Bernipave Road Solutions

6. State Asphalt Services Pty Ltd

7. ANJ Asphalt

8. NA Group

9. Roadworx Group Pty Ltd

10. Downer EDI

11. JM Schembri

12. Planet Civil Pty Ltd

13. Bitupave Ltd T/A NSW Boral Asphalt

14. Optimal Civil

15. Fenworx

16. Resco Civil Pty Ltd

Panel C: Other surfacings, crack sealing and line marking panel

Panel A and Panel B where they had quoted for panel C services and

1. Complete Linemarking Services Pty Ltd

2. RPQ Spray Seal Pty. Ltd.

3. SuperSealing

Contractor Safety Management System:

Council uses BNG Conserve for our contractor safety management to ensure that all our contractors are up to date with their insurance policies, licenses and Work Health and Safety (WHS) requirements. Therefore, the conditions of contract will require these contractors to have their policies, licenses and WHS requirements assessed and approved by BNG Conserve.

Referee check:

The Panel determined that referee checks were not required, as the recommended suppliers are well known to the councils and have a proven history of successfully delivering works within the region

Request for Change:

Due to the ongoing ICAC proceedings involving Complete Linemarking Services Pty Ltd and the alleged corrupt relationship with Transport for NSW staff, all participating Councils have requested that contracts with Complete Linemarking Services Pty Ltd not be executed.

At the meeting held on 31 July 2025, the General Managers resolved that NSROC undertake a supplementary tender process for line marking services. This decision followed the outcome of the initial tender, where the successful tenderer was Complete Linemarking Services Pty Ltd.

NSROC has advised that they are now working on preparing and issuing a new tender for line marking services.

Conclusion

The Tender Evaluation Panel (TEP) recommends the following:

That Council accept all successful/recommended tenders nominated in Panel A, B and C as they met the selection criteria and had the most cost-effective pricing structure, noting Complete Linemarking has been excluded.

That each participating council enter into contract arrangements for their preferred Tenderer(s). The period during which councils may issue work orders to relevant Contractors is anticipated to commence on the date of the relevant Contract or 1 July 2025 (whichever is earlier) and expire on 30 June 2027. Councils have the option to extend the contract term twice by one (1) year at a time.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council:

1. accepts the successful/recommended tenders listed below for Panels A, B, and C for a two (2) years term:

Panel A: For road reconstruction/re-sheeting panel

NSW Building & Civil Pty Ltd, Fulton Hogan, Bitupave Ltd T/A NSW Boral Asphalt, Downer EDI, Convil Group, All Pavement Solutions/ Bernipave Road Solutions, Stateline Asphalt Pty Ltd, NA Group, State Asphalt Services Pty Ltd, Resco Civil Pty Ltd, ANJ Asphalt;

Panel B: For patching and heavy patching panel

NSW Building & Civil Pty Ltd, Stateline Asphalt Pty Ltd, Fulton Hogan, Convil Group, All Pavement Solutions/ Bernipave Road Solutions, State Asphalt Services Pty Ltd, ANJ Asphalt, NA Group, Roadworx Group Pty Ltd, Downer EDI, JM Schembri, Planet Civil Pty Ltd, Bitupave Ltd T/A NSW Boral Asphalt, Optimal Civil, Fenworx, Resco Civil Pty Ltd;

Panel C: For other surfacings, crack sealing and line marking panel

Panel A and Panel B where they had quoted for panel C services, RPQ Spray Seal Pty. Ltd., SuperSealing; and

2. delegates authority to the General Manager to enter into contracts with these companies.

Martin Terescenko

Director - Open Space and Infrastructure

Open Space and Infrastructure Division

ATTACHMENTS:

There are no supporting documents for this report.

Ordinary Council Meeting 18 September 2025

Managing abandoned watercraft in Dunois Reserve, Longueville

Item No: 13

Subject: Managing abandoned watercraft in Dunois Reserve, Longueville

Record No: SU10620 - 62857/25

Division: Open Space and Infrastructure Division

Author(s): Harrison Lillis; Jeff Culleton

Executive Summary

The purpose of this report is to provide the outcome of community consultation related to the Dunois Reserve and Waterfront and to seek endorsement for next steps for implementation of the project.

The aim of community consultation was to gauge community perception of the condition and utilisation of Dunois Reserve and Waterfront. Strong support (82% of responses) has been received for the installation of dinghy racks to address cluttered and abandoned watercraft that damage sensitive mangrove and saltmarsh habitats.

Given the strong community support for the introduction of storage racks at this location, a concept design for storage racks will be developed, identifying potential locations for the racks, prior to a second stage of public engagement commencing. This will ensure the final solution balances environmental protection, recreation, and community needs. The final proposal, following public consultation will be reported back to Council for adoption.

Background

Council at the May 2025 Council meeting considered Notice of Motion – Commence process to manage abandoned watercraft and illegal dumping in Dunois Reserve Longueville, and resolved (100/25) in part that:

· Staff proceed to community consultation for the use of the grant received to install storage racks for watercraft;

The reserve is valued for its natural beauty and recreational use particularly walking, kayaking, sailing, and family activities however unmanaged storage currently impacts both amenity and ecology. Installing dinghy racks would provide orderly storage, reduce environmental harm, and maintain open grassy areas for sailing clubs.

Community Consultation

In accordance with the Council resolution, community consultation occurred for six (6) weeks between 2 June 2025 and 14 July 2025.

The focus of the consultation was to gauge community perception of the condition and utilisation of Dunois Reserve and Waterfront. The consultation aimed to identify practical solutions that balance recreational use with ecological protection, with particular attention to the installation of organised dinghy racks or similar systems to better manage watercraft in the area.

Strong support (82% of responses) was received for the installation of dinghy racks to address cluttered and abandoned watercraft that damage sensitive mangrove and saltmarsh habitats.

The consultation received:

· 149 visitors to the Your Say page,

· 55 survey responses were completed, and

· 16 written submissions were received.

The survey collected the following information:

· background information about who uses the reserve,

· how often they visited,

· what the community values about the waterfront,

· how it is currently used, and

· potential improvements that could be made to enhance the area.

A separate confidential memo has been supplied to Councillors providing them with all survey results, responses and written submissions.

Of the fifty-five (55) respondents who completed the survey, 51% were aged between 55-74 and 45% lived adjacent/nearby to the reserve. Additionally, 37 of the 55 survey respondents stated that they visit the reserve at least every week.

The main reasons for visiting the foreshore were varied across the survey participants, but the 3 most frequent responses were:

1. Walking/exercise

2. Other

3. Launching my canoe/kayak

Breakdown of “Other” responses for reasons for visiting foreshore were:

Sixteen (16) responses mentioned use of the 12ft Sailing Skiff Club and adjacent grass area

One (1) response mentioned the cooler microclimate adjacent the water for wading, relaxing

One (1) response referred to the park as a general area used for daily activities

Table 1: Survey Q4 “Other”: Summarised responses

The reserve is widely regarded as a beautiful, peaceful, and valuable community and natural asset, cherished for its relaxed, undeveloped character and recreational opportunities. However, many respondents’ expressed frustration at its neglected state, particularly the disrepair of the baths and the unmanaged, cluttered storage of dinghies and kayaks.

Table 2 below summarises the respondents' general perception of the foreshore reserve.

Twenty-four (24) responses mentioned that the reserve was a valuable, but neglected asset that is precious, beautiful and peaceful though untidy, unkept and neglected

Twenty (20) responses mentioned the need for a dedicated boat storage facility and that disorganised boat storage is a significant issue

Nine (9) responses note that the baths are in a state of disrepair and an eyesore and that a direction to rebuild/demolish them should be made

Ten (10) responses mention that the space is required for multiple uses, including rigging for sailing craft and that it needs to remain flexible

Table 2: Survey Q5: Summarised responses

There is strong support for improving maintenance, boat storage systems, and basic facilities, while preserving the reserve’s natural charm, open spaces, and role as a community hub for sailing, recreation, and quiet enjoyment.

Responses to the questions specifically regarding dedicated boat storage gave the following results:

· Fifty-six (56)% of survey participants currently use a dinghy or kayak at the reserve,

· Eighty-four (84)% are aware of the damage that improper storage of watercraft can cause to the ecosystem, and

· Eighty-two (82)% of respondents support the introduction of organised storage, such as dinghy racks.

16 written submissions were also received as part of the community consultation process. These reveal a mix of opinions, but several key recurring points of consensus summarised below:

· preserve the park's current character as a peaceful, unique, and restful space. There is opposition to adding more playground equipment or furniture;

· current watercraft storage situation is an eyesore and calls for more formal solutions. Some noted that other neighbouring councils charge a yearly fee for their use and that they expressed a willingness to pay a fee for such a service;

· retain the open grassed area for rigging boats noting opposition to any new seating or structures that would impede this use; and

· clear action on the future of the tidal baths - respondents are eager for a decision on whether the baths will be rebuilt or demolished. (It is noted restoration of the baths were reported to Council in June 2024 and is out of the scope of this consultation).

Conclusion

Overall, the results of the Stage 1 Community Consultation highlighted a clear desire to improve watercraft storage at Dunois Reserve. Many respondents described the foreshore as cluttered and untidy, with abandoned or poorly stored dinghies and kayaks causing damage to sensitive mangrove and saltmarsh areas. This disorganised storage also restricts access and detracts from the natural beauty of the area.

Community feedback supports a practical solution that balances recreational access with environmental protection. Installing dinghy racks would help restore order, reduce ecological harm, and maintain the reserve’s character.

In response, Council will firstly develop a set of concept plans for dinghy racks and propose suitable locations within the reserve for their installation. This design will aim to balance environmental protection, recreational use, and visual amenity.

Following an internal evaluation by Council’s design and maintenance team, a refined design will be made available for final community consultation. This second stage of engagement will ensure that the final design reflects the needs and values of residents, reserve users, and environmental priorities. The outcome of the further consultation will be reported to Council for adoption of the final design and costings.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council:

1. prepare a draft design and layout of proposed boat racks for further community consultation;

2. amend the design following consultation as required; and

3. report the final proposal to Council for adoption.

Martin Terescenko

Director - Open Space and Infrastructure

Open Space and Infrastructure Division

ATTACHMENTS:

There are no supporting documents for this report.

Ordinary Council Meeting 18 September 2025

Car Share Policy 2025

Item No: 14

Subject: Car Share Policy 2025

Record No: SU3197 - 61788/25

Division: Open Space and Infrastructure Division

Author(s): Ken Yang

Executive Summary

Car sharing is a recognised sustainable transport option that supports reduced private vehicle ownership, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and is a more efficient use of urban parking resources. The Car Share Policy provides the framework for managing dedicated car share parking spaces in a fair and equitable manner, balancing the needs of car share operators with competing parking demands.

Council resolved at the 19 June 2025 Council meeting to place the draft Car Share Policy on public exhibition. The exhibition ran for a period of 6 weeks from 9 July to 18 August 2025. A total of 9 submissions were received during the exhibition, including feedback from 2 car share operators and 7 residents of Lane Cove.

The consultation highlighted strong overall support for car sharing as a transport option, while views on specific provisions, such as the proposed 4-day booking limit and 5% street allocation cap, were mixed.

Key amendments to the final Policy arising from the public consultation and further engagement include:

· Removal of the proposed 4-day booking limit, consistent with operator feedback and industry practice.

· Strengthened operator obligations, including mandatory quarterly reporting, minimum ANCAP safety standards, and improved environmental performance.

· Extension of the review cycle for dedicated spaces from one year to two years, providing greater certainty for operators.

· Removal of administrative and financial burdens on operators, including the requirement for Council-issued permits and the cost of space removals.

Overall, the draft Car Share Policy 2025 strengthens the governance framework, responds to community and operator feedback, and ensures the Local Government Area (LGA) is well positioned to support sustainable, shared mobility.

The Policy is recommended for adoption, with implementation to be supported by the development of a new pricing structure and further collaboration with operators on the rollout of new spaces.

Background

Council’s first Car Share Policy was adopted in 2011 and last reviewed and updated in April 2024. The Policy provides the framework for assessing applications and allocating on-street and off-street car share spaces in the LGA.

Since the adoption of the 2024 version, further opportunities for refinement have been identified, particularly in relation to limiting the number of car share spaces within individual streets to avoid over-concentration and address potential community concerns.

This current review of the Car Share Policy introduces a key new provision that limits the maximum allocation of car share spaces to no more than 5% of available on-street parking on any single street or length of road. The Policy has also undergone an update to the list of operator obligations to improve clarity and implementation. Informal engagement with car share operators, including GoGet and Flexicar, has been undertaken, and their feedback has been reviewed.

The draft Car Share Policy 2025 was reported to the 19 June 2025 Council meeting where the following was resolved:

That Council:

1. endorse the draft Car Share Policy for public exhibition for a period of 6 weeks.

2. receive a further report following the public exhibition period detailing the outcomes of the

community consultation and presenting the final Policy for adoption.

Discussion

The draft Car Share Policy was exhibited to the public from 9 July to 18 August 2025. During the consultation period, 9 responses were received. 8 responses were received via Council’s Have Your Say survey and 1 response via email. 2 of the responses were from car share operators and the remaining 7 were received from residents.

A summary of the responses to the survey questions are listed below:

1. Car sharing is a good transport option for Lane Cove

All 8 respondents strongly agree.

2. Do you support the proposed limit of no more than 5% of on-street parking being allocated to car share spaces on any single street?

3 Respondents Support

3 Respondents did not Support

2 Respondents were unsure

3. Do you agree with the introduction of a four-day booking limit for individual car share bookings?

1 Respondent Support

6 Respondents did not Support

1 Respondent was unsure

Table 1 below provides a summary of the feedback from the car share operators and Council’s response to the feedback.

Consultation Summary from Car Share Operators and Council responses
Feedback	Council Response
· Other LGA areas generally have a maximum 5 day booking limit. · Remove 4 day booking limit and replace with “All carshare operators must be able to demonstrate that 75% of bookings are less than 24 hours from Council dedicated spaces”.	A majority of respondents did not support the 4-day booking limit proposed. Car share operator feedback is for the limit to be increased or removed entirely. Further discussions with operators note that the average booking duration is 5-6 hours from total bookings across Australia of over 100k bookings. The final policy removes the booking limit.
· Vehicles must be ANCAP 5 and EV or Hybrid models as a preference	The final Policy mandates all passenger vehicles to have minimum 4-star ANCAP and all other vehicles preferences are to have superior emission standards and fuel efficiency. This is in line with other council policies.
· Quarterly reporting should be mandatory and including number of bookings, KMs driven, Utilisation, duration or hours booked, make and model of vehicle, number of members across LGA postcodes	The draft policy states that a quarterly report should be provided to Council. The final policy will require quarterly reporting to be mandatory.
· Being a Car Share operator (Flexicar) it would be great to see a more flexible approach with the parking enforcement (4.6). Across other LGA areas if the general public are parked in our bay when a member returns we are permitted to park in either an unrestricted park or restricted area. (as long as not a NO Parking or disabled space) We then get an alert and move car back to home pod and we are not infringed.	The draft policy details that in the event where members are unable to park within the dedicated on-street or off-street parking spaces, the member must park in the closest legally available unrestricted parking space and provide photographic evidence to the car share operator. The car share operator must organise for the car share vehicle to be relocated back to the dedicated car share space. The final policy remains unchanged.
· The dedicated car share space reviewed annually does not foster long term investment by car share operators. This should be replaced with automated annual renewal, provided that the space is well utilised by the community.	To acknowledge the investment the car share operator is making to operate, the final policy will facilitate a review of the dedicated car share spaces every 2 years instead of 1 year.
· A Council issued Car Share Permit is not required. This is unnecessary burden on operators.	As all car share vehicles will be branded with the operator’s logos there is no need for a separate permit. The final policy removes the requirement for a Council issued Authorised Car Share Vehicle Permit or temporary Letter of Authorisation displayed on each vehicle
· The removal of a dedicated car share space shall not be met by the Car Share operator.	As a dedicated car share space can be reused by another operator, the policy removes the requirement for Car Share operators to bear the cost of dedicated car share space removal.

Table 1: Summary of the feedback from the car share operators

Table 2 below provides a summary of the feedback from the car share operators and Council’s response to the feedback.

Consultation Summary from Lane Cove Residents and Council responses
Feedback	Council Response
· 4-day booking limit is too long and does not allow for sharing of these vehicles · 4-day limit is intrusive and limiting and does not seem justified in terms of car share turnover.	A majority of respondents did not support the 4-day booking limit proposed. Car share operator feedback is for the limit to be increased or removed entirely. Further discussions with operators note that the average booking duration is 5-6 hours from total bookings across Australia of over 100k bookings. The final policy removes the booking limit.
· Limiting dedicated car share spaces to only 5% is decision to go backwards and will increase distance to car share.	5% limit applies only to a single street or length of road. There is ample opportunity to increase the number of dedicated car share spaces within the LGA. The final policy remains 5%.
· More variety of car share vehicles, e.g van, small car, car with 5 seats including child seat.	Car operators determine the type of vehicle based on user demand and customer feedback.
· Better enforcement of dedicated car share spaces being only used by car share vehicles	Enforcement of dedicated car share spaces is the responsibility of Council rangers. Car share users and operators have a joint responsibility to notify Council of illegal parking.
· Car share operators should have human call centre customer service at all times.	Council is not involved in Car Share operators’ customer service operations. Council would like to encourage competition within the LGA to provide the highest level of service to its residents.
· Council to consider prioritising dedicated, car share parking spaces in high-demand areas to improve accessibility and visibility. It would also be beneficial to integrate car share locations with public transport hubs to support multi-modal travel and reduce reliance on private vehicles.	After adoption of the final car share policy. Council is focusing on introduction of new dedicated car share spaces in co-operation with car share operators.

Table 2: Summary of the feedback from residents

Based on the feedback in Tables 1 and 2 above, the Car Share Policy has been updated and has been included in Attachment AT-1.

Conclusion

The review of the Car Share Policy has provided an important opportunity to update and refine the framework that guides the allocation and management of dedicated car share spaces in the Lane Cove LGA. Consultation with residents and operators demonstrated strong support for car sharing as a sustainable transport option, while also highlighting areas for improvement in how the Policy is applied.

The final Car Share Policy 2025 reflects this feedback by removing unnecessary restrictions, strengthening operator obligations, and providing greater certainty for both operators and the community. In particular, the Policy balances the need to manage parking demand fairly with the objective of supporting the growth of car sharing as a viable alternative to private vehicle ownership.

By adopting the final Car Share Policy, Council will ensure that car share services continue to be delivered in a way that is equitable, transparent, and aligned with community expectations. The Policy will also enable future expansion of car share in partnership with operators, supporting Council’s broader sustainability and transport objectives.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council:

1. receive and note the Car Share Policy 2025 Consultation Report;

2. adopt the Car Share Policy 2025 (shown attached s AT-1);

3. develop a new pricing structure for operators to remunerate Council for permission to utilise dedicated car share spaces;

4. issue an expression of interest for Car Share operators to work with Council on existing and new dedicated car share spaces; and

5. conduct the next review of the Car Share Policy after 2028 (unless needed).

Martin Terescenko

Director - Open Space and Infrastructure

Open Space and Infrastructure Division

ATTACHMENTS:

AT‑1 View

Car Share Policy Final 2025

7 Pages

Available Electronically

AT‑1 View	Council Snapshot - August 2025	42 Pages	Available Electronically
AT‑2 View	Resolution Tracker for 18 September 2025 Council meeting	26 Pages	Available Electronically