Today on the Local Government News Roundup:

• Councils take a stand on data centres
• A mayor’s outrage over childcare inaction
• Sadness after the desecration of two war memorials
• Sydney Council to rule on extended fast food opening hours
• Expanded Australia Day events at Bondi rejected by Waverley Council
• A decisive NO vote on a wage deal at Gold Coast City Council
• A new contender for Lord Mayor of Hobart emerges
• and Council CEO pay rises in the news in South Australia

and yet more local government news from around Australia and beyond.

Listen now wherever you listen to podcasts.

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 – simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development – smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

In today’s episode:

Victoria

Hume City Council has urged the Victorian Government to reject a proposed $1.1 billion data centre on Campbellfield’s former Ford site following an official objection from the Environment Protection Authority over severe noise concerns.

Warning that the facility would sit just 250 metres from local homes and consume immense power, Mayor Carly Moore is calling for an immediate halt on all new data centre approvals across the state until comprehensive regulatory standards are established.

And neighbouring Melton City Council has called for an immediate moratorium on new data centres until the Victorian Government creates a unified planning framework for the developments.

Amid growing community concern over heavy electricity and water demands, the council is urging state ministers to ensure future projects undergo transparent, evidence-based assessment.

Meanwhile, City of Greater Geelong CEO Ali Wastie is calling for a national lifetime levy on AI data centres to establish local community benefit funds.

Ms Wastie wants governments to model the funding framework on renewable energy projects, ensuring hosting communities gain long-term infrastructure benefits such as upgraded sporting and arts facilities.

She argues that a mandated levy would guarantee direct returns for host regions.

Yarriambiack Shire Council in the state’s north-west says the Victorian Government must urgently intervene after Hopetoun’s early years facility was declared unsafe due to water damage, leaving families without childcare for up to two more years.

Mayor Cr Andrew McLean says he is outraged, and the situation is “completely unacceptable,” after the Department of Education confirmed no relocatable option is available.

Kindergarten has moved temporarily to the town’s Senior Citizens Building. Council wants the Government to fund a new integrated facility, saying rural families deserve the same commitment shown to metropolitan communities.

Surf Coast Shire Council has cancelled the proposed sale of a 164-square-metre plot of land along Geelong Road in Torquay after discovering it does not legally own the site, reports the Geelong Independent.

Investigations revealed the land was designated as an arterial road in 1990, forcing the council to abandon the sale and liaise with state transport authorities to resolve the title error.

Two western Victorian war memorials have been defaced in separate acts of vandalism over the past month, with local authorities taking immediate action to restore the damaged sites.

In the town of Dobie, a commemorative plaque was stolen and surrounding flora destroyed, while a 100-year-old monument in nearby Beaufort was also targeted with spray paint.

Ararat Rural City Council Mayor Bob Sanders expressed deep sadness over the desecration of the local heritage sites, according to ABC News.

Kingston and Bayside councils have launched a joint advocacy push calling on the Victorian Government to fix deteriorating State-managed roads across the region.

Mayor Cr Georgina Oxley and Mayor Cr Debbie Taylor-Haynes announced the campaign from the Nepean Highway and South Road intersection, on the boundary between the two municipalities.

The mayors say potholes and poor surfaces on major arterials are creating safety risks and vehicle damage for thousands of daily road users, and want the State Government to properly fund and maintain its road network.

Latrobe City Council has lodged a submission on Energy Australia’s application for a bulk water entitlement to rehabilitate the Yallourn Mine, following the eventual closure of Yallourn W Power Station.

Mayor Cr Sharon Gibson said Latrobe City, home to all three of Victoria’s declared coal mines, should receive a fair share of revenue generated through mine rehabilitation.

The submission calls for transparent water pricing and reinvestment into affected communities. The approved Loy Yang entitlement alone is expected to generate around two hundred and forty-seven million dollars over thirty years.

The City of Greater Geelong has welcomed a Greens commitment to investigate reinstating the Geelong to Ballarat passenger rail line, advocating for proposed stops at Bannockburn, Meredith, and Elaine.

Mayor Stretch Kontelj OAM says the regional connection aligns with council priorities to service growing northern and western communities, while improving regional transit efficiency.

The Council is seeking bipartisan support for the rail link ahead of the upcoming Victorian state election.

Swan Hill will host this year’s largest gathering of country Victorian council leaders, with the Rural Councils Victoria Forum running September third and fourth.

About one hundred mayors, councillors and senior staff from RCV’s thirty-five member councils will attend, just eighty-six days before the Victorian election.

RCV Chair Cr Rob Amos says the timing puts rural investment squarely on the agenda, with delegates also touring Swan Hill’s Housing Trust project.

Banyule City Council has called on state election candidates to pledge $10 million towards a major $46 million upgrade and electrification of the historic Ivanhoe Aquatic Centre.

The redevelopment would transition the venue to 100% renewable energy while boosting annual capacity by 60,000 visits to support the growing local community.

Mornington Peninsula Shire has seen its kerbside recycling contamination rate fall by 1.5 per cent over the past year following the launch of its targeted education campaign.

Despite the progress, council officials report that contamination levels remain above their 15 per cent target and urge residents to keep textiles out of recycling bins.

Brimbank City Council has renewed its key partnership with Victoria University through to 2030 to boost local employment, education, and community wellbeing across Melbourne’s west.

Building on collaborations established since 2023, the extended agreement between the Council and the university will focus on developing the Sunshine precinct while continuing to deliver community initiatives such as free TAFE courses and careers counselling.

Households across the City of Casey will begin receiving a new purple-lidded glass recycling bin from September as part of the Victorian Government’s standardisation of waste services.

Delivered through November 2026, the new bins will be collected every four weeks, with glass diverted from general recycling and processed into new products or road aggregate.

New South Wales

Fast food chain Pizza Hut is facing another setback after Sydney City Council officers recommended rejecting its proposal to extend opening hours until 3am every day at its Surry Hills site.

According to a report by The Australian, council officers have advised against approving the request due to concerns over ongoing negative impacts on residential amenity, noise, and public interest.

It follows previous refusals by Sydney City Council, which has consistently stood firm against extended trading hours for the Elizabeth Street takeaway location.

The City of Sydney has announced plans to cut and remove all short-term rental lockboxes attached to public infrastructure, including street signs, fences, and trees, starting April 1, according to real estate dot com dot au.

Greens councillors stated the measure aims to tackle the housing crisis and prevent damage to public property, whilst affected owners will have 28 days to claim their confiscated lockboxes.

The City of Ryde has placed a six-month Interim Heritage Order on TG Millner Fields in Marsfield following a proposal to bulldoze the open space for a 106-dwelling residential development.

Mayor Trenton Brown said the urgent action aims to protect the site’s rich sporting heritage and community value while an assessment determines whether it warrants permanent protection.

Waverley Council has voted down a proposal to expand Australia Day events at Bondi, even after the plan was scaled back to cost up to $20,000.

The move follows a warning from the council’s First Nations Advisory Committee, which said extra celebrations on January 26 would be “dangerous”, supporting only a “Survival Day” style activity instead, according to News24.

Shoalhaven City Council Acting Mayor Peter Wilkins is urging the NSW Government to urgently fund and set a clear timetable for replacing Greenwell Point Wharf after an engineering assessment found the state-owned structure has reached the end of its safe working life.

The wharf has now been restricted to pedestrian access only, with council warning the replacement is beyond its financial capacity and needs state support.

Greater Hume Council has voted to close the Jindera Swimming Pool for the upcoming season, citing structural and geotechnical concerns raised in an independent remediation report.

Mayor Cr Lea Parker said the decision was not taken lightly, but community safety had to come first.

Council will offer free entry and extended hours at Walla Walla Pool to offset the closure, while a business case examining the Jindera facility’s future is developed.

Snowy Monaro Regional Council says household bin contamination is rising sharply this year, with waste workers encountering asbestos, used needles, gas bottles, batteries and construction debris in kerbside bins.

Council warns the contamination is driving up costs, damaging equipment and risking fires and serious injury, and is urging residents to check what goes in each bin via its waste information guide.

Willoughby City Council has launched its most significant planning project in a generation—Chatswood 2060—to shape future housing, jobs, and liveability across the North Shore hub.

Mayor Tanya Taylor says growth must be paired with state-funded community infrastructure, open space, and transport to ensure the region remains inclusive, sustainable, and economically strong.

Parramatta Council is exploring a staffed visitor information booth in the CBD, as tourism surges and visitors already pump about $3.3 billion a year into the local economy.

A feasibility study will consider locations including PHIVE and Parramatta Square, with a report due back to Council by March 2027.

Randwick Council has claimed a historic victory at the Local Government Professionals Australia Australasian Management Challenge national final in Hobart, becoming the first-ever New South Wales team to secure the title.

The six-member team beat out competing local government bodies from across the region in a series of simulation-based leadership and problem-solving exercises.

Queensland

Gold Coast City Council employees have overwhelmingly rejected a proposed wage deal branded the “offer of pain”, with union leaders warning of impending industrial action across Queensland’s second-largest local government workforce.

According the Gold Coast Bulletin, the Services Union reported 99.9 per cent of voting members voted against the offer, which includes a 3.5 per cent first-year increase that fails to match inflation and reduces key working conditions for staff.

North Burnett Mayor Les Hotz has spoken of the frustration and inconvenience felt in the community, after the Gayndah Waste Management Facility was unable to open last weekend due to vandalism.

An alleged break and enter, and damage to the site, forced a temporary closure. Mayor Hotz is encouraging community members to report vandalism or suspicious activity to the council.

Scenic Rim residents have lifted their recycling performance, with Council’s “Let’s Get It Sorted” bin health checks cutting contamination in the recycling stream by nearly 13 per cent after more than 6,600 inspections across several towns.

The 2025 program, backed by a Queensland Government grant, also reduced bagged recycling and waste, with Council saying more education will target ongoing problem items like soft plastics and food packaging.

Douglas Shire Council has adopted its twenty twenty-six Local Disaster Management Plan and appointed a refreshed Local Disaster Management Group, incorporating lessons from the challenging twenty twenty-five, twenty twenty-six severe weather season and aligning with the Disaster Management Act.

Mayor Cr Lisa Scomazzon continues as chairperson, Councillor Damian Meadows remains deputy chair, and the group’s membership now includes representatives from local government, emergency services, health agencies, Queensland Police and Council’s Manager Disaster Management Unit.

Tasmania

Another contender for Lord Mayor of Hobart has emerged, with former Hobart City Mission chief executive Harvey Lennon announcing his bid for October’s contest.

He is pledging to bring experienced leadership and sensible balance to Hobart City Council, according to Pulse Tasmania.

Promising to cap rate rises below inflation and increase housing in city shopfronts, Lennon will compete against sitting councillors to lead a newly reduced nine-member council.

Derwent Valley Council has voted to progress plans for an $82 million, 32-kilometre rail trail from Maydena to Hayes, despite opposition from Mayor Michelle Dracoulis over long-term cost and maintenance concerns.

Pulse Tasmania reports that Councillors have endorsed the feasibility study and reference designs to avoid returning a $501,000 federal planning grant, which required a formally agreed position to be acquitted.

The project will now move forward with applications for external funding and the transfer of the corridor under state legislation, though local government elections in October mean a newly elected council will ultimately oversee future stage decisions.

Hobart’s economy has topped $10 billion for the first time, according to the City of Hobart’s 2026 State of the City Report, now generating almost a quarter of Tasmania’s output.

The report highlights strong jobs growth and business confidence, but warns housing affordability, an ageing population, workforce shortages and ultra-low rental vacancies remain major challenges.

West Coast Council has released new “unwalling” plans for Strahan’s waterfront, removing most of the so‑called “Great Wall of Strahan,” and is now seeking community feedback.

Consultation sessions will be held next week, with final plans due to go to Council by the end of September.

Huon Valley Council has granted approval for Huon Aquaculture’s $110 million expansion of its Port Huon salmon nursery, aimed at growing larger fish on land to reduce their time at sea.

Despite granting planning permission subject to strict environmental and construction conditions, councillors acknowledged that local residents’ concerns regarding noise, light pollution, and river pollution had not been fully addressed, according to The Mercury.

South Australia

The Advertiser reports two South Australian councils have awarded their chief executives $15,000 annual pay increases, pushing one salary package above the state regulator’s maximum limit.

Bosses at Onkaparinga Council and Campbelltown Council received the pay boosts following performance reviews.

Meanwhile, staff at Port Adelaide Enfield Council continue enterprise agreement negotiations after rejecting four pay offers – the latest is 10 per cent over three years, with the union saying backpay and CPI remain sticking points.

Northern Territory

Alice Springs Town Council has issued an open apology to personnel at the Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap and local residents after a decommissioned, branded marquee was used without authorisation during a recent protest.

The council says it was not involved in the demonstration, blaming inappropriate asset disposal for the incident, and has promised to review its processes for decommissioning branded equipment.

The NT News reports that City of Palmerston Council has abandoned plans to acquire the former Woodroffe Fire Station for a men’s shed after learning the site is contaminated with chemical substances.

Fire authorities have assured nearby residents that the location poses a low risk and will continue to be used to store specialist emergency vehicles and equipment.

Western Australia

City of Greater Geraldton Councillor Shane Van Styn has been found to have breached the council’s code of conduct, after implying a staff member was being dishonest during a meeting earlier this year.

The finding relates to comments directed at city director Fiona Norling during a debate about at a Christian Church event.

Cr Van Styn has been ordered to apologise, but says he intends to challenge the breach finding, according to the Geraldton Guardian and ABC News.

Planning Minister John Carey has overruled the City of Canning to mandate higher-density zoning for a redevelopment site in Rossmoyne, paving the way for up to 82 new homes.

However, PerthNow reports that local councillors feel the decision risks undermining public trust in urban infill projects and could lead to severe traffic congestion across the suburb.

The West Australian reports that Town of Cambridge Council has voted unanimously to increase residential rates revenue by 5.5 per cent and raise waste bin fees by 15 per cent to combat rising operational costs.

The decision will see the minimum annual rate rise to $1,115 per property, alongside a reduction in free kerbside bulk rubbish collections to two per year.

The Shire of Esperance is determining whether an extraordinary election is required after councillor Gemma Johnston resigned from council this week.

The resignation was tendered at the council meeting, and takes immediate effect.

The Shire of Merredin is calling for expressions of interest to fill a vacant councillor position, after two unsuccessful extraordinary elections which means Council can now directly select and endorse a preferred candidate.

Written applications close 5pm Friday 11 September 2026.

International

UK:

Tory MP James Cleverly has resigned from the shadow cabinet to launch a bid to become Mayor of London.

The former Foreign Secretary, who represents the constituency of Braintree, steps down from his role shadowing Housing and Communities to focus on securing the Conservative nomination for the Greater London Authority mayoral contest.

It’s not yet known if third term mayor Sadiq Khan will be seeking a fourth term in the role, reports the Guardian.

Havering Council is consulting on plans to expand its public space protection order across the entire London borough to combat antisocial behaviour, reports The Standard.

Under the proposed measures, council officers and the Metropolitan Police could issue on-the-spot £100 fines for offences ranging from public drinking and aggressive begging to the antisocial use of e-bikes.

Calls have been made for former Mid and East Antrim Council chief executive Anne Donaghy to be stripped of her OBE, following her conviction for deleting an email to prevent its disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

The Herts Advertiser reported that Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows has written to the Cabinet Office requesting the forfeiture of the honour, which was originally awarded for services to local government during the pandemic.

The UK Local Government Association has warned of a growing mountain of discarded fridges across England and Wales which is forcing dozens of local authorities—including Bradford, Gloucestershire, Durham, and Nottinghamshire—to suspend appliance collections due to a national shortage of specialist recycling facilities.

The LGA is urging ministers to compel white goods manufacturers to cover storage costs and resolve processing bottlenecks after recent heatwaves caused a surge in breakdown numbers.

USA:

Massachusetts’ highest court has unanimously blocked plans to install two ten-foot bronze Catholic saint statues on a new public safety building in the city of Quincy, while a taxpayer civil lawsuit continues, reports USA Today.

Opponents praised the decision for upholding the separation of church and state, while representatives for the Quincy City Council and Mayor Tom Koch expressed disappointment at the ruling which halts the eight-hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollar project.

The Mayor of Lone Star, Texas, Brianna McClain, has stepped down after missing three consecutive regularly scheduled city council meetings due to personal and career commitments.

Under state law, her absence automatically creates a vacancy, prompting a special election for the role, according to KNUE radio news.

In North Carolina**, Asheville City Council** has voted 5 to 2 to terminate its contract with license plate reader provider Flock Safety, ordering the immediate removal of 11 municipal cameras.

According to ABC News station WLOS, the resolution directs the city manager to suspend all data collection, access, and sharing while staff conduct a comprehensive review of local surveillance policies.

Community members raised privacy and data security concerns during public debate, though the city retains a separate agreement for dash and body cameras.

A federal appeals court has upheld Hamtramck City Council’s ban on flying Pride flags on municipal property, ruling that the city is permitted to restrict displays on its flagpoles to official government flags.

Michigan Advance reports that the decision affirms the dismissal of a legal challenge brought by two former commissioners, following the council’s 2023 resolution to prohibit political, religious, and ethnic flags across city grounds.