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Local Government News Roundup
Australia’s no.1 podcast for local government news and views, hosted by veteran media presenter and senior executive Chris Eddy. Brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association.
Local Government News Roundup
Rejection, failure and enforcement - ft. Lisa Scomazzon, #513
In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:
- Greater Dandenong mayor rejects independent workplace culture investigation
- City of Ballarat admits responsibility for a million dollar failed road repair
- North Sydney Council proposes rate increases up to 54% after previous rejection
- Gold Coast Council issued enforcement order after 7 million litres of sewage spills
- Queensland councils face $40,000 annual cost for weather data previously free from Bureau of Meteorology
- Former Town of Cambridge mayor loses appeal against code of conduct breach findings
- London boroughs face £4 billion funding gap with bankruptcy risk for up to half by 2028
- Mexican mayor Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez shot dead during Day of the Dead celebrations
and more news from across the world of local government.
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.
Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.
Support the Roundup and get access to special episodes and regular breaking news updates by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.
Victorian Report
Greater Dandenong Mayor Jim Memeti has rejected a motion seeking an independent investigation into the council's workplace culture, citing the Local Government Act, according to the Star Journal.
It follows an anonymous email that alleged chaotic staffing restructures and a divided leadership, and the recent resignations of three senior officials.
Councillor Rhonda Garad argues that councillors have statutory obligations to ensure a safe work environment, but the mayor insists staffing matters are the CEO's responsibility.
The council is expected to conduct an internal audit of some of the claims made in the email.
Mayor rejects workplace-probe vote | Dandenong Star Journal
The City of Ballarat has admitted responsibility for a failed $970,000 road repair on Gillies Road that collapsed within six weeks.
The council used an untested nanotechnology product but departed from proven European methods by adding a crushed rock layer before the nanotech treatment had fully cured.
Road experts say the council should have performed mandatory testing before proceeding with the next layer.
Councillors say nobody has been held accountable for the significant waste of ratepayer funds, according to the Ballarat Courier.
The council has confirmed that it will continue with smaller-scale trials of the product.
City of Ballarat acknowledges error in Gillies Road trial | City of Ballarat
'A mistake': $970,000 Gillies Rd failure entirely Ballarat council's fault
East Gippsland Shire Council has reversed its decision to stop paying insurance for Crown land facilities managed by volunteer committees.
Mayor John White has apologised for the concern caused to the 43 affected halls, toilets, and pavilions across the region.
He said the council will now pay this year's insurance and consult with committees on future arrangements.
The original decision was driven by concerns about whether the insurance would actually stand up in the event of a claim.
Council says its other support for the Crown land committees, including $95,000 in annual funding, will continue.
Media Release: Crown land insurance – an open letter from the Mayor
Campaspe Shire Council has adopted a 10-year financial plan that projects borrowings will peak at nearly 50 per cent of rate revenue by 2032-33.
The increased debt will fund a record $413 million in capital works, with more than $303 million allocated to infrastructure projects.
Cash reserves are expected to drop by $30 million over the decade, raising concerns among some councillors about the council's financial position.
Councillor Tony Marwood says the borrowing capacity provides flexibility for beneficial community projects, though it doesn't guarantee the funds will be used.
The plan remains subject to yearly budget approvals and may change due to unforeseen events like natural disasters.
$413m investment raises council debt concerns
Moyne Shire councillors have narrowly voted to adopt the shire’s 10-year financial plan, after a call for job cuts by one councillor.
The Standard reported (4th November 2025) that Cr Lloyd Ross suggested artificial intelligence and other efficiency measures should mean jobs could go.
But other councillors has raised concerns about a planned freeze on full time staff members for ten years would lead to staff burnout, low morale and poorer community outcomes.
A revised plan including the addition of one staff member annually was ultimately adopted by four votes to three.
Meanwhile, Glen Eira City Council has updated its long-term Financial Plan as it grapples with unprecedented financial pressure due to rising costs, stagnant revenue, and growing community expectations.
After two years of community engagement, the Council is setting up an Advisory Committee, and will explore user-pays models, further external funding opportunities, and improved internal efficiencies among other measures.
And in senior executive news, former Shoalhaven City Council CEO and Greater Geelong director Robyn Stevens has been announced as the new CEO of Geelong region employment and recruitment agency gforce.
Ms Stevens succeeds another former long time local government CEO in the role.. ex Surf Coast and Campaspe Shire CEO Keith Baillie has led gforce since 2020.
Victorian Briefs
The City of Ballarat will host the 2026 Australian Country Water Polo Championships in May 6-9, next year, at the Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre.
The event will bring together top regional athletes from across Australia, boost local businesses, and showcase the city's premier sporting facilities to hundreds of participants and spectators.
Ballarat to host 2026 Australian Country Water Polo Championships | City of Ballarat
The City of Casey has introduced Payble, a new free online platform giving residents more flexibility in how they pay their rates.
Residents can set up weekly, fortnightly, or monthly payment schedules and modify them at any time without contacting Council.
The platform sends payment reminders and allows secure one-off payments.
Gannawarra Shire Council has published online maps showing which roads and bridges are managed by Council versus the State Government.
The initiative responds to community feedback that residents struggle to identify management responsibilities for local roads.
A 2025 Community Satisfaction Survey found that 76 per cent of roads rated as average, poor or very poor quality in the Gannawarra are actually managed by the Victorian Department of Transport.
Find out who manages the Gannawarra's roads and bridges
Following requests from some councillors to extend the deadline for the 2025 VLGA Victorian Councillor Census, the VLGA has responded.
Councillors will now have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 5 November to complete the Census.
This is the last chance for councillors across Victoria to have their say and help inform and influence important conversations across the local government sector. The Census takes about 10 minutes to complete.
Every Councillor has been emailed a unique link to the Census.
If you have any questions, or need your direct link to be resent please contact census@vlga.org.au or call the VLGA directly.
NSW Report
North Sydney Council is pushing for a major rate increase after a previous rate variation proposal was rejected.
The council says it's facing severe financial pressure and needs the funds to maintain services.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the council is putting three rate rise options to the community for feedback, ranging from a 10 per cent increase over three years up to 54 per cent.
The higher increases are proposed to address critical infrastructure backlogs, which would continue to increase under the 10 per cent option.
A previous request for an 87 per cent increase was knocked back by IPART.
Consultation on the new options is open until early December.
One enormous rate rise was rejected. Now North Sydney council has eyes on 54% jump
Rural councils across New South Wales are pushing back against a Federal Government proposal to slash default speed limits by 30 kilometres per hour outside built-up areas.
The Country Mayors Association says the plan could increase travel times to medical appointments by up to 30 percent, creating life-threatening delays for regional residents.
Mayors warn the changes would also drive up freight costs, worsen driver fatigue, and prove nearly impossible to enforce in remote areas.
They're calling the proposal excessive and out of touch with the realities of rural road use.
MEDIA RELEASE | NSW Country Mayors oppose Federal Speed limit lowering
Kiama Council's five residential lots on Glenbrook Drive have all been passed in at auction, despite attracting strong interest with multiple registered bidders and competitive bidding.
Mayor Cameron McDonald says the reserve prices have now been adjusted based on market feedback.
Council's CEO has been delegated to negotiate directly with the highest bidders and other interested parties.
The Council remains confident in achieving the best possible outcome for the community.
Glenbrook Drive auction update
Kiama Council land fails to sell at auction - Wave FM
The City of Newcastle is rolling out cutting-edge AI technology at Wallsend Swimming Centre to help lifeguards respond to potential drowning incidents up to six times faster.
The Lynxight system uses CCTV cameras and deep learning algorithms to track swimmers and detect signs of distress, sending alerts directly to lifeguards' smartwatches.
The technology is already being used at more than 75 public pools across Australia and has proven its lifesaving capabilities.
The system is expected to be operational at Wallsend Swimming Centre in December.
The trial comes as drowning deaths in NSW have surged by 30 percent, with 129 fatalities recorded in the past year.
AI technology to help lifeguards keep swimmers safer this summer
Federation Council is installing protective tunnelling around the historic Star Hotel in Corowa after continued structural deterioration.
The emergency measure follows reports of falling debris from the building's facade and verandah.
Council has launched legal proceedings in the Land and Environment Court after the owner failed to comply with emergency orders.
General Manager Adrian Butler said a detailed update on the legal action will be presented at December's council meeting.
Council Update - Further deteriotration of the Star Hotel in Corowa
Central Coast Council impounded 1,384 animals in 2024-25 and is building a new consolidated pound at Mardi to replace its two existing facilities, but the new centre is still more than two years away.
The delay comes as the Coast's dog population is projected to surge from 65,000 in 2022 to 80,000 by 2032, placing increasing pressure on services that currently cost over $1.1 million annually to operate.
However, the Council's education and enforcement efforts have seen dog attacks decline for five consecutive years.
The figures were revealed in the Council’s annual report, and reported by Central Coast Community News.
Speculation that Shellharbour Council may be ready to appoint a new CEO.
An extraordinary council meeting was called for last night, with an agenda item listed for a confidential verbal report on the CEO recruitment.
NSW Briefs:
Central Darling Shire Council has named Robert Hunt as its Interim General Manager, stepping in after Greg Hill's resignation last month.
Hunt, who previously served as acting GM during leave periods, will start on November 17th.
Camden Council has rolled out a new online portal making it easier for residents to find and apply for grants.
The system brings together funding opportunities from federal and state governments, businesses, universities and community organisations in one place.
Mayor Therese Fedeli says the mobile-friendly platform will save time and cut red tape.
Council launches new grant portal - Camden Council
Luke Ryan has been appointed Interim General Manager of Dubbo Regional Council for up to twelve months.
Mr Ryan is currently Director Infrastructure, and has 25 years of local and state government experience. The appointment allows Council time to recruit a permanent replacement for outgoing CEO Murray Wood, who finishes on November 28th.
COUNCIL ANNOUNCES INTERIM GENERAL MANAGER - Dubbo Regional Council
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Queensland Report
Cairns Mayor Amy Eden has acknowledged contact with the state's council conduct watchdog over a conflict-of-interest investigation, according to the Cairns Post.
The probe relates to her decision to chair a panel that appointed her former campaign adviser as acting CEO without declaring a conflict.
Mayor Eden has defended her actions, saying she followed council legal advice and dismissed claims of tension within the chamber.
Complaints to the Office of the Independent Assessor from Cairns councillors have doubled in the past year to twelve.
Gold Coast City Council has been issued an environment enforcement order after multiple sewage spills left fish gasping for oxygen and dead eels floating in waterways.
Three major leaks between September and December last year spilled more than seven million litres of sewage into creeks and rivers.
The Department of Environment says the council's failure to act on identified problems contributed to the unlawful releases. More from the Brisbane Times.
Dead eels and gasping fish: Gold Coast council told to fix sewer issues
The Planning and Environment Court has overturned Rockhampton Regional Council's refusal of a 500-megawatt battery energy storage system project, clearing the way for ACEnergy to proceed.
Residents had raised concerns about bushfire risks following a 2023 fire at a nearby Tesla battery facility.
The approval comes with extensive fire safety conditions, according to the Courier Mail.
Queensland councils will now pay up to forty thousand dollars a year for critical real-time weather information the Bureau of Meteorology has provided free for nearly thirty years, according to the Courier Mail.
The Bureau is phasing out its Enviromon software from July next year, forcing councils to source their own systems.
Disaster Recovery Minister Ann Leahy has slammed the move, saying the lifesaving information is "not Netflix" and shouldn't be behind a paywall.
The Local Government Association of Queensland says ratepayers will foot the bill for information they rely on during emergencies, while the Bureau says councils have had several years to prepare for the transition.
Townsville residents will head to the polls to elect a new Mayor without answers about the skyrocketing cost of the Haughton Pipeline project, according to the Mercury.
A council review of the project is still underway almost a year later.
The project, designed to pump water from the Burdekin River to Ross River Dam, has been plagued by cost blowouts leaving ratepayers on the hook for seventy-nine million dollars.
The most recent estimate put stage two costs at four hundred and twenty million dollars, but the council can't provide updated figures while the review continues. It remains unclear when the project will be finished.
The SES responded to one hundred and seven call-outs across the Toowoomba Region following severe weekend storms that battered the area with hail.
Mayor Geoff McDonald says clean-up crews have been working on roadsides and public spaces while power is being restored.
The Clifton Council Customer Service Centre has sustained damage and was closed until further notice.
Clean-up continues across Toowoomba Region from severe storms
Tasmania
West Tamar Council has claimed gold at the Tasmanian Tourism Awards, winning the Local Government Award for Excellence in Tourism.
The council was recognised for its outstanding work in promoting the region's natural beauty, local produce, and heritage.
West Tamar will now represent Tasmania at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in Fremantle in March 2026.
Devonport City Council took home the silver award in the same category.
South Australia
South Australian councils will gain new powers to tackle dumped shopping trolleys under laws passed this week.
Retailers will be required to label trolleys and collect abandoned ones within three business days or face fines up to $5,000.
The changes, taking effect in early 2027, follow extensive consultation with councils and industry.
Dumped trolleys are now classified as litter under the amended Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act.
New powers for councils to tackle dumped shopping trolleys
Western Australia
Former Town of Cambridge mayor Keri Shannon has lost her appeal to overturn five code of conduct breach findings, according to PerthNow.
The State Administrative Tribunal dismissed all appeals against findings by the Local Government Standards Panel.
The complaints were brought by fellow councillors between 2021 and 2022 during her mayoral term.
Breaches included critical letters to media, calling councillors "misogynists," and commissioning unauthorised reports.
Ms Shannon is now CEO of the City of Nedlands, but is currently on indefinite leave following a performance review.
Ex-mayor’s legal fight against conduct findings fails
The City of Busselton has won top honours at the Western Australian Coastal Awards for Excellence.
The city took out the Coastal Adaptation category for its storm surge risk mitigation works.
The awards, presented by the WA Planning Commission's CoastWA program, recognise excellence in protecting the state's extensive coastline.
Global Report
USA:
It’s election day in some parts of the United States today, and as we record, the clock is ticking down to the close of polls for the Mayor of New York City.
Democrat Zohran Mamdani is poised to win the election according to the latest polls, with his closest rival appearing to former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
CNN reports he has this morning distanced himself from Donald Trump, despite receiving the President’s endorsement in the race.
The current mayor, Eric Adams, is on the ballot as an independent, but has dropped out of the race, endorsing Cuomo to be his successor.
https://edition.cnn.com/election/2025/results/new-york-city-mayor
In Texas, El Paso City Council has narrowly voted down a proposal to remove a partisan TSA video from screens at El Paso International Airport.
The video, which sparked debate over its political messaging, will remain on display despite concerns raised by some council members.
The decision came after a close vote on Tuesday, according to USA Today.
While some city representatives argued the content was inappropriate for a public facility, a majority defended its relevance.
MEXICO:
The mayor of Uruapan, Mexico, Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez, was shot dead during Day of the Dead celebrations in the town's historic centre.
The Guardian reported that the attack happened in front of dozens of people, with the gunman firing seven times before fleeing.
A city council member and bodyguard were also injured in the assault.
Manzo Rodríguez had been under police protection and had publicly appealed for help confronting cartels in the violence-plagued area.
Mexican mayor killed during Day of the Dead celebrations
CANADA:
Edmonton's new city council has made winter day shelter space its first priority. Mayor Andrew Knack secured unanimous approval for a motion to allocate one million dollars from the Community Safety and Wellbeing grant fund.
The city is working with the provincial government to create additional day shelter spaces for Edmonton's more than five thousand people experiencing homelessness.
Council hopes to have the shelters operational before winter weather arrives, and the mayor is calling on federal and provincial governments to match the city's funding commitment.
New city council makes increasing winter day shelter capacity its 1st priority
UK:
North Northamptonshire Council has passed a motion opposing the government's compulsory digital ID proposals.
Reform UK and Conservative councillors called the scheme "a step towards authoritarianism" and a "clear danger for residents".
The government says digital ID would help curb illegal migration and make it easier to prove identity for jobs and services.
North Northamptonshire Council motion opposes digital ID plan
London's boroughs are facing a four billion pound funding gap over the coming years.
Research by London Councils shows a one billion pound shortfall this year alone, even after four hundred million in emergency government support.
Up to half of London's thirty-three boroughs could be forced to seek exceptional financial support to avoid bankruptcy by twenty twenty-eight.
London Councils is warning that essential local services from libraries to children's centres will be at risk without urgent action.
Wiltshire Council has narrowly rejected a motion to explicitly support the county's LGBTQIA+ community.
Councillor Helen Belcher, who is trans, called the decision "disgraceful" after the council voted for an amended motion that removed references to LGBTQIA+ people.
Some councillors argued the original proposal was divisive and amounted to "identity politics".
Reform UK councillor Ed Rimmer said his party wouldn't engage in "virtue signalling".
Forty-six councillors voted for the amended motion, while forty-three voted against it.
Row after Wiltshire Council rejects motion to support LGBTQIA+ community
Worcestershire County Council has unveiled a proposal to replace all seven main councils with a single authority by 2028.
Under the plan, councillor numbers would be cut 55 percent and it would cost 59 million pounds to implement, including 8.5 million in redundancy payments.
The authority claims the merger would save between 20 and 30 million pounds a year once fully implemented.
Five district councils are preparing a rival bid for a north-south split ahead of the 28 November deadline, according to BBC News.
Business case revealed for major council shake-up
Roundup Extra:
Mayor Lisa Scomazzon, Douglas Shire Council
This Roundup Extra conversation explores the dynamics of local government leadership, focusing on community engagement, the importance of effective management, and the challenges of funding and resource allocation.
