On the Local Government News Roundup today:

• Merri-bek moving to fortnightly rubbish collection
• Mornington Peninsula to transition out of aged care service delivery
• Greater Dandenong set to decide on deferring its glass recycling rollout
• Gail Connolly grilled about allegations of workplace bullying
• Townsville’s mayor denies assault allegations
• South Perth considers a request to extend the term of its local government monitor
• and what’s behind a sharp increase in canine euthanasia in Queensland?

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, with support from Symphony 3, and Rath Engineering Development.

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Victorian Report

Merri-bek City Council has voted to transition from weekly to fortnightly general rubbish collection starting in July 2027.

According to reports by the Herald Sun, the decision follows a six-month trial that yielded a 19 per cent reduction in landfill waste. To accommodate the change, standard bin capacities will increase from 120 to 140 litres.

While the council projects the strategy will save 16 million dollars over the next decade, the move faces ongoing resistance from community groups citing public hygiene concerns.

Mornington Peninsula Shire Council has announced it will stop delivering Commonwealth-funded aged care services from July 2027.

Citing complex national reforms that place heavier administrative and legal burdens on local councils, the Shire has given twelve months’ notice, aiming to ensure a smooth transition to specialist providers.

The move impacts over 600 clients across Meals on Wheels, Community Transport, and Group Social Support programs.

A Hepburn Shire Council executive has told the Victorian coroner that the Royal Daylesford Hotel did not have a valid outdoor dining permit when five people were killed in the 2023 crash.

Council director Ron Torres told the court the permit had lapsed after earlier extensions, and there are no records of site inspections or risk assessments at the venue.

ABC News reported that the council has reviewed its processes since then, in addition to ordering a road safety audit. The town speed limit has also been reduced from 50 to 40 kmh.

Greater Dandenong Council will vote next week on whether to defer its state-mandated kerbside glass recycling rollout.

A council report cites the ongoing cost-of-living crisis as the driving factor behind the proposed delay, which could save an estimated 1.5 million dollars annually in collection costs.

The council will consider joining a group of more than thirty Victorian municipalities currently advocating for a state government review of the program.

The Dandenong Star Journal reports that if the council adopts the recommendation, it will quarantine $3.6m for the deferred rollout.

Yarra City Council is moving to overhaul its local law ahead of the current rules expiring, promising simpler regulations, stronger accessibility protections and less red tape.

Mayor Stephen Jolly said the new laws were a substantial modernisation – the draft local law has been cut from 21 parts to nine, with tighter requirements on waste and amenity, and more responsibility on businesses for abandoned shopping trolleys.

Council also plans to streamline permits for outdoor dining and minor works, while strengthening controls around tree protection, drainage and property conditions.

NSW Report

The Independent Commission Against Corruption’s public inquiry into the City of Parramatta Council has been extended into a sixth week after a dramatic twentieth day of hearings.

Sacked council CEO Gail Connolly returned to the witness box yesterday, facing intense questioning over the departures of senior staff and explosive internal workplace dynamics.

Former Council boss Gail Connolly was grilled over allegations of workplace bullying, secret “camps,” and the misuse of public funds through redundancy payouts.

While Ms. Connolly denied directly telling former city strategy director Nicole Carnegie that she and her team “dressed like homeless people” during a performance review, she did admit to passing on that feedback from community stakeholders.

The commission also focused on the exit of former public affairs director Shannon Kliendienst, who was reportedly cornered in a Friday meeting and given a choice to resign or be terminated.

The inquiry has exposed deeply fractured internal politics, with text messages revealing that senior staff monitored LinkedIn “likes” to see who was on “the Gail bus” or in rival “camps.”

Chief Commissioner John Hatzistergos confirmed that due to the dense volume of evidence, the inquiry will be extended into next week. More from the Sydney Morning Herald.

Woollahra Council‘s finance committee has recommended partnering with a new commercial operator for the Lyne Park Tennis Centre in Rose Bay, despite a swift community petition drawing over 2,000 signatures.

The proposal by Tennis Nation includes a nearly two-million-dollar infrastructure investment, adding dedicated pickleball courts, and is projected to eventually double the council’s current rental returns to 360,000 dollars annually.

According to the Daily Telegraph, staff highlighted the tender as a low-risk model for boosting revenue, though the final decision remains subject to a full council vote.

Lismore City Council has voted to increase mayoral and councillor fees by 3.7 per cent, aligning with the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal’s latest CPI determination.

The Echo reported that the decision divided the chamber, with opposing councillors citing an upcoming rates review, while proponents argued the increase supports diversity and representation.

Meanwhile, the council has extended its outdoor dining fee waiver for a third consecutive year to assist CBD economic recovery.

Wagga Wagga residents looking to build a granny flat will soon have nearly double the space to work with.

Council has endorsed a major change to local planning laws, lifting the maximum floor size of secondary dwellings from thirty-three per cent of the main home up to sixty-five per cent.

The shift aims to tackle local housing shortages by creating more flexible, affordable rental options for aging family members and incoming key workers.

Communities in the southern Murray-Darling Basin are set for a boost, following a 69-million-dollar infrastructure funding announcement under the Sustainable Communities Program.

Griffith City Council will receive nine-point-five million dollars of the pool to fund livestock marketing centre renewals and critical road upgrades for the Lake Wyangan housing precinct.

Applications have also opened for the next 50-million-dollar business and industry grant round, closing August third.

A rescission motion to move Central Coast Council meetings to the Gosford Regional Library has been defeated by one vote.

Councillor Margot Castles argued the shift would support local democracy, suggesting funds from recent property sales could cover the costs.

However, the decision means regular council meetings will remain stationed at the Wyong chambers. More on that from Coast Community News.

Kiama Municipal Council will next week consider a proposal to fund a scaled-back, five-year New Year’s Eve event strategy costing fifteen thousand dollars annually.

A new council report recommends replacing the previously cancelled ninety-thousand-dollar fireworks display with extended alfresco dining permits and live acoustic music.

Th IIllawarra Mercury reports that while a community survey strongly supports maintaining an event for social cohesion, data reveals local government area spending simply shifts locations when major events are cancelled.

Queensland Report

Queensland Police are investigating an alleged assault on Magnetic Island, with multiple witnesses claiming Townsville Mayor Nick Dametto was involved in an altercation at a Nelly Bay Road business on Sunday.

Police say the incident involved a 42-year-old and a 28-year-old man. No charges have been laid, and the investigation is ongoing.

Mayor Dametto has denied the allegations, and Police are urging anyone with information to come forward.

New laws regulating dangerous dogs are reportedly behind a sharp increase in canine euthanasia across Queensland councils.

According to data from the Sunshine Coast Council and reported by ABC News, the local government euthanased 101 dogs last year—a significant rise from 32 before the 2024 legislative changes.

Under the state’s amended animal management laws, councils have reduced administrative discretion and are legally mandated to issue destruction orders if a previously regulated dog is involved in a subsequent serious attack.

Gold Coast City Council has voted to close the underused Burleigh Heads Library and convert the facility into a creative arts hub for young visual artists.

The Gold Coast Bulletin reported that library services will be consolidated into the nearby Burleigh Waters branch.

While Mayor Tom Tate backed the move as a strategic precinct upgrade, Division 12 Councillor Josh Martin voted against the decision, citing a lack of public community consultation during closed budget deliberations.

Rising waste management costs are hitting Queensland councils, with Cairns Regional Council urging residents to curb recycling contamination.

A recent report highlights that nearly 15% of material placed in the city’s yellow bins is non-recyclable, driving up processing fees.

Cairns Mayor Amy Eden says reducing contamination is a critical, practical step for the community to improve efficiency and mitigate avoidable costs following recent kerbside tenders.

Fraser Coast Regional Council has finalised its executive leadership team, appointing Ria Leason as the new Director of Organisational Services and Transformation.

Ms Leason, who joins the council on July 14, brings extensive private-sector transformation experience from senior roles at Zurich and Allianz.

Chief Executive Officer Mica Martin said the appointment completes a year-long recruitment strategy aimed at boosting the council’s capability to deliver efficient services for the growing community.

Tasmania

A transparency push has failed at Derwent Valley Council, after a split vote left informal workshops closed to the public, according to a report from The Mercury.

Despite a three-to-two majority voting in favour of opening the sessions—which cover critical briefings like the draft budget—the motion was lost because one councillor abstained.

Opponents argued the change would complicate processes for the small regional council.

Workshops will remain behind closed doors for the remainder of the council term.

Launceston City Council has secured a $100,000 insurance payout following the theft of the rare Ermenegildo Zegna Perpetual Trophy last December.

According to a report by Pulse Tasmania, the council’s April financial report confirms the recovery, contributing to a year-to-date underlying surplus of 3.21 million dollars—significantly ahead of budget forecasts.

The gold-topped trophy, which remains missing, was on loan from the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery collection when it was taken in a smash-and-grab.

A Hobart City Council Committee has voted unanimously to ban new whole-home short-stay lets in residential zones.

In a bid to ease the city’s rental crisis, the landmark move aims to return properties to the long-term rental market.

The Mercury reported that a draft plan will now head to a twenty-eight-day public exhibition period, followed by a report to the Council for decision.

South Australia

The City of Onkaparinga is keeping its bid for an AFL Gather Round presence alive, following the South Australian Government’s announcement of a three-year extension to its partnership with the AFL.

While the new agreement contains no guarantee of games in the McLaren Vale region, Mayor Moira Were says the door remains open, and the council will continue pressing for a Gather Round footprint in the south — whether through matches, training sessions, or community activations.

Renmark Paringa Council has secured a strategic road maintenance agreement with the South Australian Government, establishing a new non-rate revenue stream.

Under the partnership, council crews will oversee the ongoing maintenance and grading of a 43-kilometre section of Wentworth Road.

Chief Executive Tony Siviour said the arrangement directly supports long-term financial sustainability by diversifying council income while optimising regional freight and tourism infrastructure. Local contractors have already been engaged to begin works.

Western Australia

The City of South Perth is seeking a further extension of an external Local Government Monitor, with a Special Council Meeting called for this Tuesday evening.

Monitor Gail McGowan was first appointed in February this year to observe meetings, inspect documents, and review governance practices. Her term has already been extended once.

The council will consider making a formal request for the Local Government Inspector to extend it again to mid-August, to allow a workplace psychosocial risk assessment — currently underway — to inform the Monitor’s final report.

The monitor is costing the City $900 per day.

The Town of Victoria Park has moved to correct the record following media coverage of a waste collection incident.

A Cleanaway driver accidentally emptied a FOGO bin into a general waste truck during collections — an isolated case of human error that the contractor has since investigated and committed to address.

The Town clarified that it has not defended the mix-up, and that no residents have been fined.

The Town says it remains committed to working with its waste contractors to meet community expectations around the integrity of its FOGO collection system.

Flags were flown at half-mast yesterday in the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale, in tribute to former councillor and Honorary Freeman John Kirkpatrick.

The Shire says the gesture recognises Kirkpatrick’s two decades of service to the local community and their condolences are with family and friends.

Global Report

NZ:

Pressure is mounting on Canterbury local bodies to finalise amalgamation plans ahead of the government’s August deadline.

This week, Ashburton district councillors narrowed their options down to five configurations—none of which include Christchurch City, according to RNZ News.

Amid growing frustration over a lack of transparency, Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger has been publicly urged by regional colleagues to clearly state his position on a potential “super city” model.

UK:

A historic milestone in United Kingdom local government, with twenty-three-year-old councillor Tushar Kumar elected as the new mayor of Elstree and Borehamwood.

According to the Borehamwood Times, Councillor Kumar’s appointment marks him as the youngest mayor of Indian origin in UK history.

First elected as a councillor at age twenty, the newly appointed mayor has announced his civic focus will centre on community engagement and supporting local volunteer organisations.

A UK local authority leader is facing a fresh code of conduct complaint over plans to restrict certain books in public libraries.

The BBC reports that Warwickshire County Council leader George Finch is facing a formal complaint from an LGBTQ-plus advocacy group after calling for the removal of material containing what he termed “contested gender ideology.”

Councillor Finch stated the council will develop a new policy to ensure libraries remain politically neutral, while critics have labelled the move political censorship.

USA:

In California, Fairfield Mayor Catherine ‘Cat’ Moy has abruptly resigned amid a City Council investigation into her legal residency.

According to a report by ABC7 San Francisco, Moy stepped down just hours before a scheduled council meeting to decide the future of the probe, which has cost over 66,000 dollars in public funds.

Vice Mayor Pam Bertani will assume the role, becoming the city’s first African American mayor.

CANADA:

The RCMP has launched a corruption investigation into Calgary City Hall over allegations of cash-for-votes.

According to court documents reported by the CBC, police are investigating whether a local planning consultant offered illegal campaign donations to influence a council land-use vote.

Search warrants have been executed on the homes of the former mayor and several councillors. No charges have been laid.