Today on the Local Government News Roundup:

• Hepburn’s governance crisis continues, as the council insists its budget is compliant
• A $600,000 payroll error at the City of Stonnington
• The end of e-bikes in Yarra
• The sector calls for new disaster recovery funding arrangements to be scrapped
• A NSW council CEO gets a new contract
• A tense meeting in Cairns as the Mayor makes a second admission of wrongdoing
• A councillor resignation in Townsville
• and for the second consecutive episode, new CEO appointments in South Australia and Western Australia

Also today, National Growth Areas Alliance CEO Bronwen Clark talks to Chris about why the time is right for an emerging growth areas forum.

Listen now:

Victoria

Hepburn Shire Council has confirmed that its adopted 2026/27 Budget complies with legislative requirements, backed by independent legal advice following compliance concerns raised during its adoption.

The council said it will continue to manage its finances responsibly and actively seek ways to improve its budget development and community consultation processes.

The clarification comes after a private prosecution was levelled against Hepburn councillors concerning the budget adoption processes, bringing the total number of councillors stood down to five – depriving the council of a quorum.

Tim Drylie, one of the two remaining serving councillors at Hepburn, has released a column this week, arguing that the state’s automatic stand-down laws lack crucial safeguards against private legal actions and urgently require legislative reform to protect local democracy.

That echoes similar calls made by Cr Rob Amos, chair of advocacy alliance Rural Councils Victoria, and by local government legal expert Tony Raunic – you’ll hear from both of them in this week’s new edition of VLGA Connect, out later today on YouTube and podcast.

The City of Stonnington has self-reported a major payroll error to the Fair Work Ombudsman after an internal review uncovered underpayments dating back to April 2019.

Chief Executive Officer Dale Dickson confirmed the issue was caused by a system glitch affecting overtime and penalty rate calculations.

The council expects to pay out approximately $600,000, including interest, to rectify the error.

All affected current and former employees are being contacted directly with personal advice, and former staff can contact the council via email with queries.

The City of Yarra has voted to end its six-year share e-bike trial with Lime.

The Guardian reported that councillors declined to award a permanent contract, stating the operator failed to meet basic standards – and accusing it of not doing enough to prevent the blocking of footpaths, e-bike dumping or users riding while drunk.

Lime has thirty days to remove its fleet.

The City of Hume has flagged potential land use conflicts over a proposal for an eight-storey, 164-key hotel at Melbourne Airport.

Council planners have said they are unwilling to support the proposal over concerns that a residential hotel is inappropriate for the light industrial zone.

The developer SMA Projects has bypassed council by lodging the application directly with the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning, as reported by The Urban Developer.

Bass Coast Shire Council‘s community, arts, and cultural hub, Berninneit, has officially achieved Passivhaus certification.

Located in Cowes, it is the first public centre in Australia to incorporate a theatre, library, gallery, and museum under one Passivhaus-certified building.

The milestone makes the facility only the second of its kind globally, hitting an airtightness result of 0.6 air changes per hour within its approved budget.

Horsham Rural City Council has declined an invitation to join WIM Resource’s Community and Coexistence Reference Group for the Avonbank Mine.

Mayor Brian Klowss says the move is premature, given the project has not yet secured a mining licence.

Cr Klowss highlighted ongoing community concerns regarding dust mitigation, environmental health, and unresolved freight infrastructure issues, adding that council resources will not be committed to a project that remains unapproved.

Rural Councils Victoria has welcomed the state Opposition’s pledge to spend five billion dollars on road repairs and maintenance if elected, though it’s unclear how much would flow to country roads specifically.

The commitment falls short of RCV’s call for an extra two billion dollars over four years for regional roads.

RCV Deputy Chair Councillor Kate Makin says the plan is, quote, “on the right track,” but the organisation wants more detail on the regional-metropolitan funding split.

Brimbank City Council has partnered with VicHealth to launch Everyone at the Table, a new initiative tackling food insecurity in the municipality.

The program builds a coalition with organisations like IPC Health and the University of Melbourne to improve local food systems.

Recent data indicates that twelve point five per cent of local adults have experienced food insecurity, compared to the state average of eight per cent.

Australia’s local governments are calling on the Federal Government to abandon proposed changes to the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

A motion passed at the Australian Local Government Association’s National General Assembly rejected a planned shift to a strict 50/50 Commonwealth-State funding split.

The association is warning that the model would create a severe funding gap, reducing the federal contribution in states like New South Wales and leaving resource-constrained councils exposed to higher costs after natural disasters.

ALGA President Mayor Matt Burnett said councils across Australia needed certainty that the reforms to Disaster Recovery Funding would strengthen, rather than weaken, their ability to help communities recover.

NSW

Bega Valley Shire Council has reappointed its Chief Executive Officer, Anthony McMahon, following a decision at Wednesday night’s council meeting.

Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick says the reappointment provides stability for the organisation as it continues delivering services and long-term planning across the shire.

Mr McMahon, an experienced local government leader with more than 15 years in senior roles, was first appointed on a five year contract in early 2022.

Glen Innes Severn Council has transitioned to a new enterprise management system, Civica Altitude, following three consecutive disclaimed financial audits.

The council abandoned its previous software after it failed to meet operational expectations, leading to ongoing scrutiny from the Office of Local Government.

The Council’s General Manager Bernard Smith says the new cloud-based platform is expected to restore financial sustainability and improve reporting.

Shellharbour City Council has launched a new online payment platform designed to give ratepayers greater flexibility over their schedules.

The Payble system has been introduced alongside the 2026/27 rates notice rollout, allowing residents to customise their payment frequency and select preferred payment days via bank account or card.

Mayor Chris Homer said the move was about improving customer experience and easing household budget pressures.

Melbourne’s Monash Council has also announced a move to the Payble direct debit system this week, with existing direct debit clients advised to sign up for the new system.

The City of Canterbury Bankstown has announced the rollout of twelve new off-street electric vehicle charging stations across the municipality.

Funded by the New South Wales Government’s Western Sydney Infrastructure Grant Program, the new installations will bring thirty-six new public charging ports online by the end of July.

Mayor Bilal El-Hayek says the expansion will support apartment residents who lack home charging access and help accommodate the growing number of electric vehicles travelling through the region.

Georges River Council has announced new partnerships with four major Sydney universities to drive local employment, skill building, and environmental research.

Collaborating with the University of New South Wales, UTS, Macquarie University, and Western Sydney University, the initiative has already delivered youth AI workshops and a new night-time economy strategy. The partnerships are also funding research into urban heat and biodiversity at Myles Dunphy Reserve.

Mayor Elise Borg says the programs allow the council to leverage external expertise to tackle key local challenges and build long-term community resilience.

Northern Beaches Council is rolling out ‘Welcome Here’ rainbow stickers across its key community venues.

The initiative, partnering with health organisation ACON, aims to visibly signal inclusion and support for the LGBTQ+ community at customer service centres, libraries, and aquatic facilities.

It follows recommendations from the council’s LGBTQIA+ working group, established in 2024.

The Country Mayors Association has welcomed the extension of the New South Wales Fresh Start program.

The expansion will fund four hundred new apprentice, trainee, and cadet roles next year to help address critical regional workforce shortages.

Chairman of CMA, Mayor Rick Firman OAM (of Temora Shire) said the “game changing program has been a positive boost to help address workforce shortages.”

Queensland

Cairns Mayor Amy Eden has made a second public admission of wrongdoing in three weeks following a ruling by Queensland’s Councillor Conduct Tribunal.

The tribunal found Councillor Eden failed to declare a conflict of interest during a 2023 vote involving a former business partner.

In a tense council meeting, councillors voted unanimously for the mayor to repay fifteen thousand dollars in legal excess fees, while Deputy Mayor Brett Olds stated the community deserves an apology.

ABC News reported that Ms Eden made a statement after the meeting, saying she accepted the adjudicator’s decision, but did not support the “unnecessary political pontificating” by councillors.

Townsville City Councillor Paul Jacob has resigned from his Division 1 role, bringing his lengthy career in North Queensland local government to a close.

Announcing his departure on Wednesday, the former deputy mayor cited a desire to spend more time with his family following a turbulent period for the council.

The Townsville Bulletin reported that his resignation will trigger a by-election within the next two months.

Four Queensland councils will share more than $7.6 million to restore beaches and coastal areas damaged by the 2025 North and Far North Tropical Low.

Jointly funded by the federal and state governments, the funding will support 12 projects from Cardwell to Cape York – in the Cassowary Coast, Cairns, Northern Peninsula Area, and Townsville local government areas.

The funding aims to rebuild walls, replant vegetation, and protect vital regional infrastructure from future severe weather events.

South Australia

South Australia’s Mid Murray Council has named Dr Andrew Johnson as its next chief executive officer, succeeding Ben Scales, who left to lead Foodbank South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Dr Johnson, a former chief executive at the Walkerville and Port Pirie councils, starts on the tenth of August.

Mayor Simone Bailey said his financial background and advocacy experience gave council confidence he was the right person to lead the organisation forward.

It’s the second Murraylands council chief executive appointment in a week, after Coorong Council’s appointment of Scott Reardon.

Western Australia

PerthNow reports that the Town of Victoria Park council has voted five-four to reduce its advertised rate hike from five per cent down to three point five per cent.

The last-minute amendment, passed during a tense five-hour special meeting, requires the administration to find a one per cent efficiency saving in operational expenditure.

While mayor Karen Vernon cited ratepayer cost-of-living pressures, opponents warned the reduction undercuts inflation and creates an unsustainable capital works program.

The Shire of Plantagenet, in Western Australia’s Great Southern region, has appointed Garry Bird as its new Chief Executive Officer, commencing 31 August.

Mr Bird brings more than 25 years’ experience across WA local government, including a stint as Director Corporate Services at the Shire of Mundaring.

Notably, Plantagenet is where he began his local government career. Shire President Len Handasyde says Mr Bird’s experience will support the shire’s key projects moving into their delivery phase.

The City of Stirling has rejected a proposal to ban e-rideables from two of its busiest parks, voting twelve-to-one to upgrade path safety instead.

The decision means e-scooters can continue operating, supported by new speed signs, stencils, and community education initiatives.

According to PerthNow, council officers advised that a ban could displace riders onto less safe roads and present significant enforcement challenges.

The city’s mayor, Mark Irwin, who is also the President of WALGA, has been forced to apologise to a ratepayer.

The council’s register of minor breach findings reveals that Mayor Irwin was found to have made improper use of his office by preventing a man from asking questions at an Electors’ General Meeting in 2025, and treating the man in a disrespectful manner.

Mayor Irwin made a public apology at the council’s 7th July meeting – it’s the second apology he has been required to make this year.

Northern Territory:

The City of Darwin has commenced a six-month trial of an on-demand Auslan interpreting service across twelve municipal facilities.

Delivered in partnership with Convo Access, the technology allows Deaf and hard-of-hearing residents to scan QR codes to instantly connect with qualified interpreters.

The initiative runs until December to determine its long-term viability.

International

UK:

The UK Government has appointed Sir Stephen Houghton as a political envoy to support Nottingham City Council‘s improvement program.

The appointment follows statutory interventions initiated earlier this year, including the appointment of a Ministerial Envoy.

The new, additional envoy is set to provide oversight for up to 75 days to help drive culture change and governance improvements.

Meanwhile, the Minister has announced the establishment of a single commissioner team to jointly manage interventions at Woking and Spelthorne councils.

Lesley Seary will lead the new team to integrate risk management across both authorities, while Woking’s former commissioner Richard Carr transitions to interim Chief Executive to guide its structural improvement.

And Best Value notices have been issued this week to a number of councils, including Newham, Cheshire East, Basildon Borough and Shropshire Councils. The notices are formal advice of concerns regarding the councils, requesting engagement with the department to provide assurance of improvement.

An independent audit has revealed the North East mayoral authority’s bus franchising programme will cost an additional one hundred and five million pounds over thirty years due to a staffing model omission.

Despite the error, the auditors concluded the plan remains affordable, and the regional authority maintains the scheme is still financially viable. More from BBC News.

The Mayor of Bedford has raised concerns that a proposed tourism tax for the planned Universal theme park may not benefit his local borough.

Speaking to the BBC, Tom Wootton warned that regional metro mayors—not local councils—would likely control the revenue, sidelining the immediate community hosting the development.

The theme park is due to open in 2031 and is tipped to become the UK’s biggest tourist attraction.

Reform UK has brought a motion of no confidence against Worcestershire County Council leader Matt Jenkins, protesting the party’s exclusion from the ruling coalition despite being the local authority’s largest group.

The leader of West Northamptonshire Council, Mark Arnull, has announced that the local authority will withdraw all future officer support and funding from the town’s Pride events, claiming they have become too politicised.

Wakefield Council is set to abandon its 2030 carbon-neutral target and cut its climate budget by £170,000 following a Reform UK local election victory, shifting focus and funds toward practical property and vehicle efficiency instead.

Kirklees Council has elected Reform UK group leader Sarah Wood as its new leader, ending months of political deadlock and two previous failed votes, due to political disagreements.

Bristol City Council has failed to factor nearly four million pounds of printing and postage costs into its clean air zone contract.

A report to the Strategy and Resources Committee reveals the expenses, linked to driver fines, were missed in the initial agreement with Xerox.

The unbudgeted costs are reportedly covered by penalty income and will not impact general council finances.

USA:

New York City Council is considering a bill to phase out the city’s horse-drawn carriage industry by June 2028.

The proposed legislation, known as Romanch’s Law, follows the first recorded human fatality in the industry’s history, where an eighteen-year-old tourist was killed last month.

The New York Daily News reported on a marathon hearing of the council’s Health Committee, with twenty-six of the fifty-one council members now co-sponsoring the ban.

Opponents of the bill, including the Transport Workers Union, argue the industry needs stricter safety regulations rather than a full closure, which they say will jeopardise one hundred and fifty jobs.

A committee vote on the bill is expected next month.

CANADA:

Windsor City Council has voted to restructure its member compensation for the upcoming term.

CBC News reported that under a proposal introduced by Mayor Drew Dilkens, the mayoral annual salary will be permanently reduced by fifty thousand dollars.

This funding will be redistributed to increase the annual pay of each of the city’s ten councillors by five thousand dollars.

While supporters argue the adjustment reflects the demands of the role, three councillors opposed the change, questioning the timing and the use of the funds.

Hamilton city council in Ontario has rejected a proposed one-year pause on new artificial intelligence data centres.

CTV News reported the ten-to-six vote followed a lengthy closed-door session where legal counsel advised that a key university-led project would be exempt.

The decision is being closely watched by other municipalities, including Mississauga and Vancouver, which are currently debating similar moratoriums amid growing concerns over local grid capacity and water usage.

NZ:

Selwyn District councillors have criticised the government’s three-month deadline for council reorganisation, calling the truncated timeframe ridiculous and chaotic, according to Radio New Zealand.

At a meeting on Wednesday, the council narrowed its amalgamation options down to three: becoming a standalone unitary authority, merging with Ashburton, or joining a Greater Christchurch amalgamation.

Selwyn Mayor Lydia Gliddon said the council needs to shape its own future rather than risk having a new structure imposed by Wellington.

The remaining options will now be put to residents for consultation.

Kaipara District Council has voted unanimously against supporting a proposed local government reform for the Northland region.

The recommendation from the Northland Elected Member Steering Group suggested a staged transition model, which would create two unitary authorities before merging into a single Northland-wide council.

Mayor Jonathan Larsen stated there was insufficient evidence of project delivery benefits or economies of scale to justify a merger.

The council has requested that Kaipara be excluded from any future reform proposals submitted to the government.

Roundup EXTRA:

Australia’s outer suburbs are absorbing population growth at roughly double the national average, and local governments there are being asked to deliver housing at pace while building the infrastructure to support it. In August, the National Growth Areas Alliance will bring together councils from across the country for its first Emerging Growth Areas Forum. Today, Chris is joined by NGAA CEO Bronwen Clark to talk about what “good growth” looks like, and what’s at stake if councils get it wrong.