Governance, Administration & Finance (GA&F) - 14 July 2026

Topics

• Gold Coast allocates $338,000 for Upper Coomera fitness equipment and Coomera traffic works
  Council has funded two Division 3 projects: fitness equipment at Tallowwood Park and local area traffic management on Edwardson Drive.
  Residents will want to know what new park facilities and traffic measures are planned and when work will occur.
• Gold Coast online petition platform remains unfunded and awaits local-law review
  Council will review online petitions but has no current budget to build or operate a platform.
  The decision affects how residents could formally raise and support local issues online.
• Waste disposal concession policy retired as Council changes assistance and fee rules
  Council retired its Waste Disposal Fee Concession Policy while adopting revised assistance and development-fee discount policies.
  Eligible residents and other users may face changed access or eligibility arrangements, but the minutes do not identify a replacement concession.

Decisions

• Policy changes adopted
  Council retired the Waste Disposal Fee Concession Policy and Beneficial Enterprises Policy; amended the Revenue Policy; and adopted revised Assistance, Infrastructure Charges Deferral and Development Application Fee Discount, Complaints about the Public Official (CEO), Sponsorship and Controlled Entities policies, plus a new Data Breach Policy.
  Residents may be affected by changes to assistance, development-fee discounts, infrastructure-charge deferrals, sponsorship transparency and data-breach governance. The retirement of the waste-disposal concession policy may affect eligible users, although no replacement arrangements were specified.
• Project funding allocated
  Council allocated $180,000 from project 65282, Division 3, for fitness equipment at Tallowwood Park in Upper Coomera and $158,000 for local area traffic management on Edwardson Drive, Coomera.
  The decisions provide funding for new park fitness equipment and traffic-management works in two northern Gold Coast communities.
• Online petitions deferred
  Council will consider accepting online petitions through the local-law framework review, including possible amendments to Subordinate Local Law No. 1.1 (Meetings) 2008. No budget currently exists for developing or implementing an online petition platform, so funding would need to be considered in a future budget process.
  Residents do not yet have an approved online petition service or implementation timetable; the issue will return through a future legal and budget review.
• International travel approved
  Council approved travel for the Senior International Engagement Adviser to Ancient Olympia, Greece, to attend the signing of a Sister City Agreement.
  The trip involves Council expenditure and formal international engagement, although the minutes do not state the cost or the proposed sister-city partner.
• City Contracting Plan 2026-27 adopted
  Council adopted the City Contracting Plan 2026-27 under section 220 of the Local Government Regulation 2012 (Qld).
  The plan guides Council purchasing and contracting activity for the 2026-27 financial year, affecting potential suppliers and contractors.
• Emergency telecommunications resilience report requested
  Council requested a report on the resilience of the Disaster and Emergency Management Centre to a significant telecommunications outage during a disaster or emergency, including contingency measures, risks and recommended improvements.
  The follow-up is intended to identify whether the City's emergency-management centre could continue operating during a major communications failure.

Discussion

• Policy review program
  Council received the Policy Review Project Close Out Report, endorsed the 2026-27 Policy Review Schedule and noted that rolling reviews will be implemented during future Council terms.
  The program establishes an ongoing process for reviewing Council policies that govern services, spending and administration.
• Sponsorship governance
  The revised Sponsorship Policy requires sponsorship spending to be reasonable, connected to official Council business, documented, transparent and in the public interest. Outgoing sponsorships of $100,000 or more not provided for in the annual or quarterly budget must be approved by Council.
  The policy sets additional public-accountability requirements for large unbudgeted sponsorship commitments and incoming sponsorship arrangements.
• Fuel and supply disruption response
  Council noted actions taken in response to the fuel and supply disruption crisis and endorsed ending dedicated monthly updates, with further reports only if there is a material change.
  Regular monthly reporting will stop, although Council may provide updates if the situation materially changes.
• Financial performance
  Council noted the monthly Financial Performance Reports for April and May 2026.
  The reports provide financial monitoring information, but the supplied minutes do not identify a new financial allocation or specific budget concern.
• Procurement and contracting
  The City Contracting Plan 2026-27 was adopted under Queensland local-government regulations.
  The plan is relevant to businesses seeking Council contracts and to residents monitoring how public funds are purchased and managed.

Impacts

• No online petition platform will be developed immediately; the proposal requires further local-law review and future budget consideration.
• $180,000 was allocated for fitness equipment at Tallowwood Park, Upper Coomera.
• $158,000 was allocated for local area traffic management on Edwardson Drive, Coomera.
• The Waste Disposal Fee Concession Policy was retired, but the minutes do not specify whether a replacement concession will be available.
• Changes to assistance and development-related fee-deferral or discount policies may affect eligible residents, applicants and developers.
• Dedicated monthly updates on the fuel and supply disruption crisis will cease unless there is a material change.

Places

• Tallowwood Park, Upper Coomera (park/project area)
  Received $180,000 for fitness equipment installation.
• Edwardson Drive, Coomera (road/project area)
  Received $158,000 for local area traffic management.
• Ancient Olympia, Greece (international location)
  Destination for the approved Senior International Engagement Adviser travel.
• Disaster and Emergency Management Centre (facility)
  Subject of a requested resilience report concerning significant telecommunications outages.
• Division 3 (Council division)
  Funding source for the Tallowwood Park and Edwardson Drive allocations.

Next

• Undertake the 2026-27 policy review schedule and implement rolling policy reviews for future Council terms.
  2026-27 and ongoing
• Consider online petitions during the local-law framework review and assess funding through a future budget process.
  Future review and budget processes; no implementation date stated
• Present a report on the Disaster and Emergency Management Centre's resilience to significant telecommunications outages, including risks and improvements.
  Future relevant committee meeting; date not stated
• Provide further fuel and supply disruption updates if there is a material change in circumstances.
  As required
• Progress funded fitness-equipment and traffic-management projects in Upper Coomera and Coomera.
  Timing not stated

Extract

869 CONFIRMED MINUTES GOVERNANCE, ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING TUESDAY 14 JULY 2026 1:30PM The meeting commenced at 1:32pm City of Gold Coast Council Chambers 135 Bundall Road Surfers Paradise 869 Meeting of the Governance, Administration and Finance Committee Confirmed Minutes Tuesday 14 July 2026 ORDER OF BUSINESS 1 ATTENDANCE/APOLOGIES .................................................................... 3 2 LEAVE OF ABSENCE ............................................................................... 3 3 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES ................................................................ 3 4 CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS ............................................