Decision details

Moved by Councillor Thompson, seconded by Councillor Miller –

It is resolved that:

(A)        Council note that Ultimo Village Voice held a public Community Safety Forum on 17 February 2026 to discuss issues residents have been facing locally;

(B)        Council note that residents’ concerns included:

(i)           an increase in the dumping of nitrous oxide cannisters and a lack of clear reporting processes, particularly given the need for these items to be collected by specialist teams;

(ii)         proliferation of share bikes on footpaths blocking accessibility and a desire for Council to take more proactive steps, acknowledging City’s long-term advocacy to the NSW Government for additional regulation and funding on this issue;

(iii)        a rise in antisocial and illegal behaviour associated with tourists. Residents say they have been yelled at and insulted, and one was physically assaulted. They report drug dealing, people using nitrous oxide, urinating in public, and littering. Residents believe this is driven by a concentrated increase of short-term rental listings in the area; and

(iv)        an increase in illegal parking, dangerous driving and a perceived lack of coordination between the City, the NSW Government and local police to address this and other safety issues in the neighbourhood;

(C)        Council note:

(i)           that while the City of Sydney has previously increased Ranger patrols in the area to monitor and respond to illegal parking, residents say the behaviour appears to be linked to summer visitors, and that parking infringement notices have not deterred the illegal behaviour;

(ii)          that residents requested increased proactive NSW Police patrols to monitor and respond to illegal behaviour;

(iii)        that the Lord Mayor has written to the NSW Minister for Police and Counterterrorism asking her to ensure Sydney City Police Area Command is adequately resourced to effectively monitor and patrol illegal and antisocial behaviour in the Ultimo area next summer and continue to work with residents and the City on a coordinated response, in so far as possible; and

(iv)        the commitment from the Councillors and NSW Police Officers present to work together proactively to address the problems raised;

(D)        Council further note that as a result of the Community Safety Forum, staff have updated the City of Sydney website with information about safe disposal and recycling options for nitrous oxide canisters across all relevant service pages. This includes the illegal dumping reporting page, the ‘Recycling Help’ tool and on the accepted items lists on our doorstep recycling service, the Ultimo recycling pop up, and Recycle It Saturday event webpages; and

(E)        the Chief Executive Officer be requested to:

(i)           investigate any additional information the City could provide to residents or potential changes the City could implement, to ensure the safe, and accessible, disposal of nitrous oxide cannisters, and report back on next steps via the CEO Update;

(ii)         investigate the current forums the City of Sydney maintains and engages with, to promote community safety, and what additional programming options are available to increase City involvement in building community safety, including in collaboration with other relevant government and non-government organisations, and report back via the CEO Update; and

(iii)        refer the issue of illegal parking and other related issues, raised at the Community Safety Forum, to the City of Sydney’s Local Pedestrian, Cycling, Traffic Calming and Transport Forum for discussion.

Carried unanimously.

X113760