Community and Culture Committee - 10 Aug 2026

Topics

• Georges River adopts new five-year rules for sports canteens and facilities
  Georges River Council endorsed a new five-year framework changing how sports canteens, storage facilities and amenities are licensed and shared.
  Sports clubs and other community users may gain more shared and casual access, while expired agreements will be reopened through an expression-of-interest process.
• Georges River approves grants for five upcoming community events
  Council approved funding and in-kind support for five cultural, sporting and community events scheduled between September and October 2026.
  The grants support public events across the local area, including cultural festivals and a multi-date community sports series; Council also introduced grant funding rounds and updated guidelines for 2026/27.
• New sports facility licensing and hire framework endorsed
  The committee unanimously endorsed the framework for managing canteens, storage facilities and sport amenities across the Georges River local government area.
  The framework is intended to increase shared use and support more equitable access to council sports facilities.

Decisions

• New sports facility licensing and hire framework endorsed
  The committee unanimously endorsed the framework for managing canteens, storage facilities and sport amenities across the Georges River local government area.
  The framework is intended to increase shared use and support more equitable access to council sports facilities.
• Five event grants approved
  Council unanimously approved grants for the Spring Festival, Hurstville Lion Dance Blessing, Annual Greek Fete, Street Sports Georges River Community Festival Series and Hurstville Kung Fu Cultural Festival.
  The decision provides financial and in-kind support for community events scheduled from 20 September to 25 October 2026.

Discussion

• Management framework for sports facilities
  Council endorsed a framework for managing canteens, storage facilities and sports amenities across the Georges River local government area. Canteens will generally use five-year non-exclusive licences, storage facilities five-year exclusive licences, and sports amenities regular or casual hire arrangements.
  Sports clubs, community groups and other users may have clearer access arrangements and more opportunities for shared use of council facilities.
• Event grants and updated grant guidelines
  Council approved event grants for five events, with financial and in-kind support ranging from $2,449 to $18,404 per event.
  Residents will benefit from council-supported cultural, sporting and community events planned for September and October 2026.

Impacts

• Sports clubs and community users will be affected by new five-year licensing and hire arrangements for canteens, storage facilities and sports amenities.
• Expired facility agreements will be subject to expression-of-interest processes.
• Five community events received council financial or in-kind support, with events scheduled from 20 September to 25 October 2026.
• Updated Event Grant Guidelines and grant funding rounds will apply for 2026/27.

Places

• Georges River Council local government area (local government area)
  Local government area covered by the canteen, storage and sports amenity management framework
• Hurstville (suburb)
  Location of the approved Hurstville Lion Dance Blessing and Hurstville Kung Fu Cultural Festival
• Georges River Civic Centre (civic facility)
  Venue for the committee meeting

Next

• Begin expression-of-interest processes for expired canteen, storage and sports amenity agreements, and present agreements requiring Council approval for consideration.
  Following endorsement of the framework
• Implement the approved event grants and updated 2026/27 grant arrangements, including grant funding rounds and community capacity-building sessions.
  From August 2026 onward

Extract

MINUTES Community and Culture Committee Monday, 10 August 2026 Dragon Room Georges River Civic Centre Hurstville Georges River Council - Minutes of Community and Culture Committee Meeting - 10 August 2026 PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBERS The Mayor, Councillor Elise Borg, Councillor Kathryn Landsberry (Chair), Councillor Matthew Allison, Councillor Elaina Anzellotti, Councillor Tom Arthur, Councillor Oliver Dimoski, Councillor Thomas Gao, Councillor Gerard Hayes, Councillor Christina Jamieson, Councillor Nancy Liu, Councillor Peter Mahoney, Councillor Natalie Mort, Councillor Leon Pun, Deputy Mayor, Councillor Sam Stratikopoulos, and Councillor Ben Wang. COUNCIL STAFF General Manager – David Tuxford,...