Decision details

Moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by Councillor Davis -

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note:

(i)         following a Lord Mayoral Minute in March 2022, Council unanimously resolved to increase the funding for community facilities by 20 per cent ($1.2M) in the 2022/23 budget adding 9.6 new staff positions to our community centres;

(ii)        on 12 December 2022, Council unanimously resolved to provide free use of the City’s community spaces for community groups for incorporated and unincorporated associations whose membership base is within the City of Sydney Local Government Area (noting parties and groups that do not correctly represent the City’s Inclusion and Equity principles are not included);

(iii)      in April 2023, Council unanimously resolved to support a Lord Mayoral Minute asking the Chief Executive Officer to make further investments and improvements in the operation of community facilities in our area;

(iv)      since fees were waived, community groups within the City of Sydney could apply for community space venue hire and have 100 per cent of the hiring and insurance fees waived; 

(v)       in the 18 months between 1 July 2022 and 30 December 2023, the City waived $314,000 in hire fees for over 11,000 hours of free bookings made by local community groups;

(vi)      the venue hire can be used for a range of community meetings, events and gatherings; 

(vii)     the fee waiver is imperative to small, underfunded community groups within the City of Sydney; and

(viii)    the fee waiver will lapse on 30 June 2024, if not extended for a further fiscal year; and

(B)      the Chief Executive Officer be requested to:

(i)         renew the existing fee waiver for community space hire, starting on 30 June 2024; 

(ii)        include in the upcoming draft budget to be submitted to Council for endorsement the free use of community spaces for the upcoming 2024/2025 fiscal year; and

(iii)      provide Council with advice about the use of the fee waiver, full costs of providing the service, about whether eligibility criteria should be reviewed and financial implications to enable Council to make an informed decision for continuing the fee waiver into the future.

Carried unanimously.

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