Council - 25 Feb 2026

Key decisions

• Emergency relief and vigil following Merrylands incident
  Council expressed condolences for the death of Mr Amamuddin Sadar, thanked emergency services, approved a $5,000 donation from the emergency relief fund to his family, and resolved to organise a community vigil.
  Provides direct community support and signals a local commemorative event in Merrylands.
• Donation to Bondi attack appeal
  Council approved a $15,000 donation from the emergency relief fund to the NSW Government & Rotary NSW Unite for Bondi appeal following the Bondi Beach attack.
  Shows how council emergency relief funds were allocated in response to a major NSW tragedy.
• Permanent memorial for Dame Marie Bashir
  Council resolved to establish a permanent memorial at a suitable location within the city in memory of Dame Marie Bashir and provide a copy of the Mayoral Minute to her family.
  Creates a future memorial within Cumberland linked to a prominent public figure.
• 2025/26 budget review approved
  Council approved revised income and expenditure estimates in the Quarter 2 2025/26 Budget Review Statement.
  Affects council spending priorities and delivery of services and projects.
• Draft Gender Equity Strategy to go on exhibition
  Council resolved to place the Draft Gender Equity Strategy 2026-2030 on public exhibition for 28 days, with a further report to return to Council after exhibition.
  Residents will be able to review and comment on a proposed council strategy before final adoption.
• Revised 2026 meeting schedule adopted
  Council adopted a revised Council Meeting Schedule for 2026, received new January 2026 meeting practice guidelines, and authorised the General Manager to execute official external engagements for 2026.
  Changes when council meets and may affect how residents follow or participate in meetings.
• Community engagement forum trial approved
  Council approved a 12-month trial of separate community engagement forums, preferably on the first Monday of each month for up to two hours, with the General Manager to report back on an operational framework.
  Creates a new pathway for residents to raise issues outside formal council meeting business papers.
• Major contracts awarded for maintenance and upgrades
  Council awarded contracts for scheduled plumbing maintenance, Chadwick Reserve park upgrade, Lytton Street Park Stage 1, and the Regents Park Library Precinct upgrade, with authority delegated to the General Manager to execute the contracts.
  These decisions fund visible works and maintenance affecting parks, libraries and council assets.

Important topics

• Sister City and Friendship City Policy adopted
  Council adopted the post-exhibition Sister City and Friendship City Policy.
  Sets the framework for future international civic partnerships.
• Local transport forum recommendations endorsed
  Council received minutes from the Cumberland Local Transport Forum meeting of 4 February 2026 and endorsed its recommendations.
  May influence local traffic, road safety and transport matters raised through the forum.
• Ranger service hours review requested
  Council resolved to consider extending hours for monitoring infringements and compliance issues within the responsibility of Council Rangers and to receive a report from the General Manager.
  Could lead to more out-of-hours compliance activity on local issues.
• Indigenous ward naming proposal lost
  A motion to investigate renaming Cumberland's five council wards with Indigenous names and seek advice from Cumberland ATSIC was defeated.
  The ward names will remain unchanged unless raised again in future.
• Social Media Policy review approved
  Council requested a review of the adopted Social Media Policy, including its effectiveness, enforcement issues, and options to strengthen compliance.
  May affect how council and councillors use official social media channels.
• Event staff recognised and feedback process suggested
  Council congratulated the event team for Australia Day celebrations and supported developing a process to gather community feedback for each event.
  May improve future council-run community events.

Resident impacts

• Residents can comment on the Draft Gender Equity Strategy during the 28-day public exhibition period.
• A new trial community engagement forum is expected to give residents another way to raise local issues directly.
• Budget revisions may affect timing or funding of council services and projects.
• Works are set to proceed at Chadwick Reserve, Lytton Street Park and the Regents Park Library precinct.
• Council may expand ranger monitoring hours following a future report.
• Two traffic-related petitions were tabled and referred to the General Manager under the petition process.

Places affected

• Merrylands (suburb)
  Community vigil and emergency relief donation following the death of Mr Amamuddin Sadar; administration precinct lockdown referenced.
• Bondi Beach (locality)
  Council donated to the Bondi attack appeal.
• Chadwick Reserve, Lidcombe (park)
  Park upgrade contract awarded.
• Lytton Street Park (park)
  Stage 1 park upgrade contract awarded.
• Regents Park Library Precinct (library precinct)
  Upgrade contract awarded.
• Cumberland (local government area)
  Draft Gender Equity Strategy, meeting schedule changes, ranger review and community engagement trial apply council-wide.
• Cumberland wards (wards/divisions)
  Proposal to rename the five wards with Indigenous names was defeated.

Next steps

• Place the Draft Gender Equity Strategy 2026-2030 on public exhibition and return a post-exhibition report to Council.
  28-day exhibition period, then future council meeting
• General Manager to prepare a framework for the 12-month community engagement forum trial.
  Future council report
• General Manager to report on possible extension of council ranger monitoring/compliance hours.
  Future council report, during consideration of the 2026-27 Management Plan
• General Manager to execute awarded contracts for plumbing maintenance and the three upgrade projects.
  Following council approval
• Undertake a review of the Social Media Policy and report back with findings and recommendations.
  Future council report
• Handle the two traffic-related petitions under the council petition guidelines.
  After the meeting

Extracted minutes text

Council Meeting 25 February 2026 Minutes of the Council Meeting 25 February 2026 Present: Councillors Ola Hamed (Mayor) Councillor Nadima Kafrouni-Saba (Deputy Mayor) Councillor Steve Christou Councillor Dr Diane Colman Councillor Glenn Elmore Councillor Paul Garrard Councillor Helen Hughes Councillor Ahmed Ouf Councillor (Exited 10:52pm) Joseph Rahme Councillor Suman Saha Councillor Eddy Sarkis Councillor Sujan Selventhiran Councillor Steve Yang Councillor Enver Yasar Councillor Michael Zaiter Councillor Officers Peter Fitzgerald General Manager Melissa Attia Director Corporate Performance (Deputy General Manager) Daniel Cavallo Director Environment & Planning Brendan Govers Director City...