Coming up today on the Local Government News Roundup:
- ICAC Parramatta Council inquiry opens today
- Yarra Council reportedly set to drop a controversial bike plan
- A seismic shift in local politics in England
- A local mayor rejects police snub claims
- Murrumbidgee expands consultation on its four day work plan
- New housing infrastructure funding welcomed
- A cyclist loses a damages case against Brisbane City Council
Plus more news from across the world of local government in Australia and beyond.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, with support from Symphony 3, and Rath Engineering Development.
Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform, or by clicking here.
Transcript for Episode #584:
Today’s Top Three
A high-stakes corruption inquiry into Parramatta Council begins today.
The Daily Telegraph reports that ICAC is investigating claims former CEO Gail Connolly and senior staff used electronic surveillance to target a councillor and fellow employees.
The four-week hearing will also examine whether staff were sacked for “personal advantage” or reprisal. Former executive Bernadette Cavanagh is expected to be the first witness called to the stand this morning.
A controversial plan to block through-traffic on a major inner-north Melbourne artery looks set to be scrapped.
The Age reports that Yarra City Council planners are now recommending a “watered-down” safety package for Wellington Street, following a massive public backlash from Collingwood and Clifton Hill locals.
The original proposal aimed to create a “bicycle street” by installing physical barriers to stop cars driving the full 1.1-kilometre stretch.
Cycling advocates have slammed the move as a “weak backflip,” while local residents and business owners—who feared traffic chaos on side streets—say they are cautiously optimistic ahead of a final council vote tomorrow night.
Seismic shifts in the English local elections last week, where a massive reshuffle of the municipal map has sent shockwaves through the major parties.
The big story is the surge of Reform UK and the Greens. Reform has secured its first-ever council majorities, including Newcastle-under-Lyme, while the Green Party has broken into executive leadership with historic mayoral wins in Hackney and Lewisham.
It was a bruising night for Labour, losing over eleven-hundred councillors and ceding control in heartlands like Sunderland and Gateshead. The Financial Review says the party’s wipeout has brought in a new political order, and the Nigel Farage is now established as the frontrunner for the next general election due by 2029.
The Conservatives also continued their retreat, losing grip on long-held county strongholds like Suffolk.
With over fifty councils now moving into ‘No Overall Control,’ the era of two-party dominance in English town halls appears to be under its greatest threat in decades.
Victorian Report
A former agritech “darling” could be evicted from its Melbourne factory following reports of “rotten” odours and swarms of flies.
The Age reports that Brimbank City Council has applied to VCAT to force start-up Bardee to vacate its Sunshine West premises within 28 days.
Nearby workers claim the facility—which uses a billion black soldier flies to process organic waste—has made the area “dangerous” and “intolerable,” with council officers describing clouds of birds swarming the site to feed on insects.
While the company has previously secured millions in funding, Council now alleges the factory is operating without a proper permit. A VCAT hearing is scheduled for later this month.
Alpine Shire Council has rejected claims made in a recent Channel 7 podcast that police were refused service and made to feel unwelcome in local townships during past search operations.
In a statement, Mayor Sarah Nicholas says the allegations are “inaccurate” and unfair to local businesses and the community, saying cafés and residents actively supported Victoria Police, including providing food and coffee and complying with operational requests.
Council says the region endured significant disruption and economic hardship during that period, and warns broadcasting unverified claims risks damaging the reputation of small tourism-dependent businesses.
The Mayor has called for more responsible reporting and better fact-checking.
The date for the Wyndham postal by-election, triggered by the resignation of Dr Jennie Barrera, has been set for the 1st August.
The roll for Heathdale Ward voters will close on 20th May, and the nomination period for candidates will be in mid-June.
A successful fruit net swap pilot in Melbourne’s City of Boroondara has collected nearly 250 illegal fruit nets between October and March, helping protect local wildlife.
The surrendered nets will be recycled, diverting an estimated 450 kilograms of material from landfill. Residents are being urged to share feedback on the trial via a Victorian Government survey by May 24.
Bass Coast Shire Council has welcomed a $632,000 Federal funding boost to help plan the future of the former Wonthaggi Secondary College site, vacant since 2019.
The money will support precinct planning to unlock housing, community and civic opportunities. Council is urging locals to have their say via Engage Bass Coast.
The City of Ballarat will host a new modern country music festival later this year.
Organisers are expecting more than 30,000 people to flock to Strummingbird at Victoria Park on 10 October 2026. It’s predicted to inject six to nine million dollars into the local economy.
The full line-up and tickets will be announced soon.
The Australian Local Government Association has welcomed the Federal Budget’s commitment of two billion dollars for housing-enabling infrastructure, calling it a major breakthrough after years of advocacy.
The funding—starting from 2026–27 and running over four years—includes five hundred million dollars dedicated to regional Australia, and is expected to support infrastructure needed to build up to 65,000 new homes.
ALGA says councils need investment in roads, drainage, water connections and community facilities to unlock new developments, warning rising construction and fuel costs are adding pressure as communities grow.
NSW Report
Murrumbidgee Council is extending community consultation on a proposed four-day compressed work week, after receiving 12 submissions.
Drop-in sessions are scheduled for Jerilderie, Coleambally, and Darlington Point over the next couple of weeks.
General Manager John Scarce said the council is looking at practical ways to deliver services more efficiently, while meeting community needs without increasing pressure on ratepayers.
The peak body for NSW councils, LGNSW, has launched a “Caring for our Regions” action plan to tackle the growing health crisis in rural, regional and remote communities.
It calls for major investment in the regional health workforce, guaranteed access to GPs, and safer local maternity care, ahead of the March state election.
LGNSW President, Mayor Darcy Byrne, said councils from across NSW are sending a message that the crisis in regional health must not be ignored and demanding action to fix it.
Kiama Council Mayor Cameron McDonald joined the LG8 regional partnership at NSW Parliament last week to present a united voice on key priorities like transport, housing, health services and the visitor economy.
It was also an opportunity to discuss progress on the council’s performance improvement order with state ministers.
Forbes Shire Council has urged tougher carp control and stronger water-quality monitoring ahead of the Murray–Darling Basin Plan Review.
Council says declining Lachlan River water quality risks drinking-water treatment and public health, and is pushing for native fish recovery while balancing irrigation needs with environmental flows. More on that in the Forbes Advocate.
Parramatta is cementing its status as a sporting powerhouse! The City has teamed up with the AFL and the GIANTS in a new partnership to boost local sport.
The deal brings the AFLW Season Launch to Parramatta Town Hall and offers free programs and match access for local families. Lord Mayor Martin Zaiter says it’s all about bringing major events to the heart of Greater Sydney.
The historic Thomas James Bridge near Lower Macdonald has won the Judges’ Excellence Award in Heritage at the 2026 IPWEA NSW & ACT Engineering Awards.
Hawkesbury City Council accepted the honour after completing a two-year, $23.5 million restoration following major 2022 flood damage. Works finished in November 2025.
Liverpool City Council has welcomed Councillor-elect Zeli Munjiza following a by-election in South Ward. Her formal induction is set to take place this week.
Queensland Report
An elderly Brisbane cyclist who lost an eye and suffered a brain injury after hitting a temporary mesh barricade on a footpath has failed in a damages claim against Brisbane City Council.
The Supreme Court found the council’s conduct wasn’t “so unreasonable” to meet the higher liability threshold under Queensland’s Civil Liability Act. QLS Proctor has more detail on that story.
Scenic Rim Regional Council officers responded to a dog attack in Beaudesert on Thursday, involving a two-year-old, bitten by a Bull Arab-type dog.
Emergency services treated the child and took them for medical care. Council says the dog is now deceased and its investigation is complete, with no further action at this stage.
A member of the public was found deceased at a Moreton Bay City Council facility in Redcliffe on Friday afternoon.
Staff involved in the matter are being supported by Council, and specialist counselling services.
Queensland Police are investigating and Council says it won’t comment further at this time.
Queensland councils have uncovered more than $1.3 billion in previously unrecorded roads, footpaths and drains over the past five years, according to ABC News.
A new Queensland Audit Office report blames systemic weaknesses in asset tracking and bookkeeping, with some councils also correcting duplicated or non‑existent items.
The audit warns better records are needed to properly manage local infrastructure.
Lockyer Valley Regional Council has put flood resilience back in the spotlight during a visit from Senator Corinne Mulholland.
The Senator toured key road upgrades and received a briefing on the Laidley Flood Mitigation Project, with Council urging further funding to get it delivered.
Mayor Tanya Milligan says protecting homes, businesses and growing communities from future floods remains a top priority.
Tasmania
A Hobart dog has been granted a last-minute reprieve from a death sentence following a Supreme Court ruling.
Pulse Tasmania reports that Justice Stephen Estcourt has overturned a Hobart City Council order to destroy an American bulldog named Piper, following two unprovoked attacks in local parks last year.
The judge ruled the council failed to provide the dog’s owner with a “fair go” by not allowing him to propose an alternative safe house after his first location was deemed unsuitable.
Describing the dog as a “sentient being facing euthanasia,” Justice Estcourt suggested a dangerous dog declaration would be a more humane option. The matter now returns to the council for reconsideration.
Western Australia
The Shire of Wandering will hold an extraordinary council election on Friday, July 31, after the resignation of Councillor Dennis Jennings in April for personal reasons.
Shire President Sheryl Little says the vote is required under the Local Government Act and has been confirmed by the WA Electoral Commission.
Council will run the poll in person to keep costs down, with more details on nominations and voting to come soon.
The Cities of Gosnells and Karratha have been named Platinum Waterwise Councils of the Year for 2026, recognised for long-term water-saving initiatives.
The Cockburn ARC has also taken out Platinum Waterwise Aquatic Centre of the Year, as 46 councils across WA are now endorsed in the Waterwise Councils program.
Northern Territory
City of Darwin is inviting residents to consider nominating for the Chan Ward council by-election, set for Saturday 30 May.
It follows the resignation of Ed Smelt, who was elected as the Member for Nightcliff.
Nominations open Friday 8 May and close at noon on Thursday 14 May, with early voting from 23 May.
Global Report
USA:
In West Virginia, Morgantown City Council is weighing a possible increase to the city’s three-dollars-a-week user fee, as the city faces an estimated two-million-dollar revenue drop over the past year.
The weekly fee is paid by everyone who works in the city since being introduced in 2015.
City Manager Jamie Miller told WV Metro news that no decision will be made without public input, following a public workshop on the issue.
Business owners have urged leaders to explore other options first, including a proposed student impact fee tied to West Virginia University’s off-campus population.
In rural southwest Wisconsin, voters in the town of Cassville have unanimously backed a temporary ban on data centres, pushing back on a proposed billion-dollar project.
Residents cite concerns about water, power use and property values.
Backers say the site is attractive because of nearby high-voltage transmission lines, but the developer may now look to other states. More from Wisconsin West dot org
CANADA:
Five years after declaring a climate emergency, Calgary City Council is considering a major U-turn.
CTV News reported that two motions passed a committee last week aiming to scrap the ‘symbolic’ declaration and audit over 200 million dollars in climate-related spending.
Critics argue the policy is fragmented and lacks transparency, with a final vote on the reversal expected at a future council meeting.
The Mayor of Revelstoke in British Columbia is facing a backlash over new powers to block council motions.
The Cowichan Valley Citizen reported the policy change allows Mayor Gary Sulz to “gatekeep” the agenda by rejecting motions he deems outside municipal jurisdiction.
Critics are calling the move a blow to transparency, following the Mayor’s private request for a councillor to withdraw a motion regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict.
UK:
Kent County Council in southeast England is set to vote on proposals to open meetings with the Lord’s Prayer and the national anthem, according to BBC News.
The Reform UK-led authority says it reflects Britain’s Christian heritage, while opposition councillors argue it’s inappropriate and risks excluding people of other faiths—or none.
NZ:
Tourists visiting the South Island’s Mackenzie District visitor hubs may soon have to reach for their wallets.
Following a meeting last Tuesday, Mackenzie District Council has voted to fast-track a feasibility study for introducing paid parking in high-traffic spots like Lake Tekapo.
The move is aimed at reducing the burden on local ratepayers. Council also approved a new billing system for “extraordinary” water users, targeting those who exceed a revised threshold of 600 cubic metres per year.