The current Land Disposal Policy was created in 2013 and is now out of date. While it has worked well, it does not include the new community engagement requirements introduced in the Local Government Act 2020, which now require Council to seek community input when buying land. The updated policy has been rewritten to include these new rules and to replace old section 223 processes. This review has also been a good chance to refresh the whole policy and remove step by step procedures, which will now be placed in a separate procedure document to make the policy easier to read and use.

Council holds a large property portfolio on behalf of the community. This portfolio includes freehold parcels (owned outright), Crown land reserves and unreserved Crown land - some of which come with buildings/infrastructure.

Council’s need for specific property assets changes over time:

• Some land and buildings remain essential.
• Some become obsolete, underused, or no longer aligned to community needs.
• New land or properties may be required as services, population, and priorities shift.

A principles based policy helps Council make consistent and transparent decisions about how its properties are leased and licensed.

By focusing on clear principles such as alignment with the Council Plan 2025 to 2029, delivering community benefit, supporting multi use where possible, and ensuring fairness and equity, it provides strong guidance without relying on rigid rules.

It reinforces good governance by highlighting transparency, accountability, environmental responsibility, risk management and public access. This approach gives Council the flexibility to respond to different property types, user needs and changing circumstances, while keeping the policy clear, accessible and easy to apply.

The draft policy will be made publicly available for comment on the Shape platform for 28 days. Then we will present the draft policy to Council with any amendments if necessary for approval and adoption of the finalised policy.