Today on the Local Government News Roundup:

• Cricket pitch management under scrutiny after the tragic death of a local footballer
• The VLGA’s CEO resigns after nearly a decade
• Liverpool Council to sue the OLG over an alleged failure to act
• A governance reset hampered by a mayor’s extended absence
• AI traffic signals get the green light in Queensland
• A UK Council’s climate emergency vote delayed – due to extreme heat
• and we dig in to a new report on the use of AI in Victorian councils – and how governance is struggling to keep pace

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Listen to this episode now:

Victoria

The City of Whittlesea has issued a statement following a tragic incident at Lalor Recreation Reserve over the weekend, leading to the passing of local footballer and teacher Nathan Fitzgerald.

Mayor Lawrie Cox extended council’s heartfelt support to Nathan’s family, and teammates, and also acknowledged the profound impact on match officials, volunteers, and first responders at the scene.

The Age reported that suburban football clubs are calling for an investigation into the safety risks of covered cricket pitches on local grounds after the incident.

The council has confirmed the wicket had a concrete base, covered by a multilayer synthetic surface during the football season, in accordance with AFL and Cricket Australia standards.

The Board of the Victorian Local Governance Association has announced the resignation of Chief Executive Officer Kathryn Arndt. Ms Arndt steps down after almost a decade of service to the organisation and the broader local government sector.

The Board has acknowledged her significant contribution to governance, gender equity, and councillor support across Victoria.

In a statement posted to LinkedIn, Ms Arndt said she was proud to have contributed to the VLGA’s mission of strengthening local democracy; and that recent life events have encouraged her to reflect on the pace of life, and making time for what matters most.

No details on a process to fill the position have yet been announced.

Making news in the Wyndham Star Weekly – Wyndham City Council has knocked back an officers’ recommendation to consider a rate cap variation for the 2027-28 financial year.

A majority of councillors voted to scrap the proposal, arguing that breaching the state-mandated cap should only ever be a last resort for the community – although some hold concerns that sticking to the cap could lead to long-term service declines.

The council’s new budget locks in a 178-point-5 million dollar capital works program.

From the Border Mail: Wodonga Council is facing legal action following a cycling accident in its city centre.

A pensioner has lodged a writ in the Victorian County Court, alleging negligence and a breach of duty of care.

The claim states that the council failed to address safety hazards regarding low parking barriers on High Street, despite receiving prior public complaints about their visibility.

Hume City Council has welcomed a 524-million-dollar election commitment from the State Opposition to duplicate Donnybrook Road and remove the station level crossing.

The council is now calling on the Victorian Government to match the infrastructure funding to support the municipality’s rapidly expanding northern growth corridor.

NSW

The Sydney Morning Herald reports on heightened tensions between Liverpool City Council and the New South Wales Office of Local Government.

The council has confirmed plans to launch legal proceedings against the state agency, alleging a failure to act on more than 300 code of conduct complaints filed since September 2024.

The council claims three separate requests for intervention were either declined or ignored.

The legal move comes as a long-awaited inquiry report into the council’s internal conduct is expected to be handed down soon.

Edward River Council has decided to end its lease with Ochre Health at the Deniliquin Medical Centre ahead of its October 2027 expiry, as both sides work on new healthcare arrangements for the community.

Council says it’s focused on continuity of services while it talks with other medical providers, and has committed to maintaining—and where possible increasing—doctor numbers in Deniliquin.

Ochre Health says it’s disappointed the lease is being terminated early, but will work cooperatively to minimise disruption for patients during the transition, including assisting with records transfer subject to legal and privacy requirements.

Mayor Ashley Hall has addressed the significant community reaction to the decision in a post on the Councils’ Facebook page.

The City of Newcastle has welcomed a twelve-billion-dollar commitment from the New South Wales Government to manufacture the state’s next generation of trains in the Hunter region.

The fifteen-year investment will deliver a new state-owned facility, creating hundreds of local construction and ongoing supply chain jobs.

Lord Mayor Gavin Morris said the decision will reinvigorate the Hunter’s great train building legacy.

An expansion of the Fresh Start apprentice program will see hundreds more roles created across New South Wales councils.

The NSW Government initiative is aimed at addressing critical local government workforce shortages and building in-house trade capabilities.

The program will fund an additional four hundred positions next year, including two hundred apprentices, one hundred trainees, and one hundred cadets.

Bathurst Regional Council has secured 1.15 million dollars in funding through the New South Wales Government’s Safer Cities: Her Way 2 program.

The grant will fund two key initiatives aimed at improving safety and inclusion for women, girls, and gender-diverse people in the central business district after dark.

Queensland

A Queensland Government review has found that Redland City Mayor Jos Mitchell’s extended medical leave hampered a six-month governance overhaul at the council

According to The Courier-Mail, the Department of Local Government found that the mayor’s prolonged absence meant key opportunities to address internal council conflicts and strengthen leadership were missed.

A report following the completion of governance adviser Chris Rose’s six month appointment was briefly available online, including a series of recommendations for governance improvements – but the Courier Mail reported the report has now been removed from public view on the local government department website.

The City of Moreton Bay has announced an Australia-first pilot of AI-powered traffic signalling technology.

Partnering with industry, the council will trial next-generation, movement-based hardware designed to dynamically prioritise traffic based on road user type, including public transport and cyclists.

The council says the system shifts away from traditional phase-based sequencing to substantially reduce motorists’ wait times and lower idling emissions.

Tasmania

Glenorchy Deputy Mayor Russell Yaxley has announced his bid for the city’s mayoralty ahead of October’s local government elections.

Pulse Tasmania reports Councillor Yaxley’s platform includes pushing for a new aquatic centre and rewriting the city’s decade-old community plan.

It follows his narrow defeat by current Mayor Sue Hickey in a 2024 by-election.

West Tamar Council is considering a resident poll at the upcoming local government elections to decide whether to return to weekly rubbish collection.

The Mercury reported that councillors voted unanimously to defer a final decision on a potential poll until July, pending further advice on costs.

The service has operated on a fortnightly schedule since at least 1999. If approved, the shift back to a weekly service is estimated to cost ratepayers an additional $46 to $59 annually.

Western Australia

The City of Stirling has welcomed proposed state planning reforms aimed at boosting housing supply.

The updates to Western Australia’s Residential Design Codes will reduce minimum lot sizes for subdivision in R20 zones and remove minimum parking mandates for apartments and granny flats.

A draft framework will open for public consultation later this year.

Northern Territory

The City of Darwin, in partnership with the RSPCA Northern Territory, has successfully desexed 60 owned pet cats under a targeted animal management initiative.

The program utilised data from the council’s Cat Tracking Program to identify suburbs with the highest rates of roaming cats and impoundments.

Lord Mayor Peter Styles said it’s part of a broader commitment to responsible pet ownership, aimed at reducing unwanted litters and protecting native wildlife.

International

UK:

The Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk has rejected a motion to scrap its climate emergency status.

A Reform UK councillor’s proposal to replace the 2021 declaration with a localised resilience strategy was defeated by thirty-three votes to twenty-two.

The vote went ahead following a postponement last week when the council chamber was deemed too hot to safely host the meeting. More on that from BBC News.

Four Highland councillors have resigned from the local licensing committee following intense public backlash over a decision to let a convicted rapist retain his taxi operator’s licence.

BBC News reports that Independent councillor Willie MacKay has resigned from the council entirely, while Liberal Democrat John Grafton has been suspended by his party group.

The committee’s decision, which allowed the vehicle licence to continue while suspending the individual’s right to drive, will now be referred to a full meeting of Highland Council for review.

NZ:

A major solar farm planned for Canterbury has been granted provisional approval through the government’s fast‑track process.

The Haldon Solar Farm near Lake Benmore would cover about 320 hectares — around 320 rugby pitches — with about 360-thousand panels, enough to power 45-thousand homes.

The approval comes despite submitters including Canterbury Regional Council, and Mackenzie District Council, suggesting the benefits of the proposal are not in proportion with the potential adverse effects. More from RNZ News on that story.

RNZ also reported that Auckland Council has been ordered to pay fifteen thousand dollars to a former leisure centre worker following an unjustified dismissal.

The Employment Relations Authority found the council rushed into a disciplinary process over an undeclared personal training business, rather than addressing specific contractual duties.

The authority slightly reduced the final compensation over an undeclared conflict of interest on the part of the employee.

Roundup EXTRA:

A new report from LGPro has given the Victorian local government sector its first sector-wide picture of how councils are adopting artificial intelligence. The report draws on survey responses from twenty-five hundred council staff across twenty-two councils.

Prepared at Whitehorse City Council, it reveals a workforce that’s already embracing AI — but where governance and incident-reporting structures are struggling to keep pace.

Two of the people behind the research join Chris on the podcast today — David Hansen, Transformational Change Manager at Whitehorse City Council, and Lisa Ippolito, the council’s A-I Enablement Lead.

Access the report from LGPro here.