Services Policy Committee - 2 Jun 2026 6:00 PM

Topics

• Orange Courthouse safe room to be inspected after refurbishment concerns raised
  Committee members will inspect the newly refurbished safe room after correspondence from Orange Aboriginal Medical Service highlighted the issue.
  Court safety and access arrangements can affect staff, users and vulnerable residents attending the courthouse.

Decisions

• Reports from Heritage Community Committee noted and recommendations adopted
  Council acknowledged the reports from the Heritage Community Committee meeting held on 13 April 2026 and determined recommendations 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 from those minutes.
  This confirms progression of heritage-related matters raised through the community committee process.
• Family & Domestic Violence Community Committee reports noted and recommendations adopted
  Council acknowledged the reports from the Family & Domestic Violence Community Committee meeting held on 12 May 2026, determined recommendation 3.4, and adopted the remainder of those minutes.
  This advances community safety and support issues raised through the committee process.
• Safe room at Orange Courthouse to be inspected
  Council acknowledged correspondence from Orange Aboriginal Medical Service, including a request linked to improvements to the safe room at Orange Courthouse, and requested a lunch-time inspection of the newly refurbished safe room by committee members.
  This may affect access to, and safety arrangements within, local court services.

Discussion

• Orange Courthouse safe room
  The committee considered correspondence from Orange Aboriginal Medical Service about improvements to the courthouse safe room and arranged a site inspection.
  Residents who use court services may see changes related to safety and access arrangements.
• Heritage Community Committee matters
  Council formally received the Heritage Community Committee reports and adopted specified recommendations from its 13 April 2026 meeting.
  Heritage-related community issues were progressed, though the minutes do not detail the specific actions here.
• Family & Domestic Violence Community Committee matters
  Council received the committee reports and adopted recommendation 3.4 from the 12 May 2026 meeting, along with the balance of the minutes.
  This supports ongoing local responses to family and domestic violence issues.

Impacts

• Possible operational or safety improvements at Orange Courthouse.
• Continuation of community committee recommendations relating to heritage and family and domestic violence support.
• No new spending, planning approval or major service change was identified in the extracted text.

Places

• Orange (city)
  Location of the council meeting and the courthouse matter
• Orange Courthouse (facility)
  Subject of the safe room correspondence and inspection request

Next

• Arrange a lunch-time inspection of the newly refurbished safe room at Orange Courthouse by committee members
  Pending after the meeting
• Progress the adopted recommendations from the Heritage Community Committee minutes
  Following the meeting
• Progress the adopted recommendation from the Family & Domestic Violence Community Committee minutes
  Following the meeting

Extract

MINUTES OF THE SERVICES POLICY COMMITTEE HELD IN COUNCIL CHAMBER, CIVIC CENTRE, BYNG STREET, ORANGE ON 2 JUNE 2026 COMMENCING AT 7.01PM 1 INTRODUCTION ATTENDANCE Cr M Ruddy (Chairperson), Cr T Mileto (Mayor), Cr T Greenhalgh (Deputy Mayor), Cr K Duffy, Cr G Judge, Cr F Kinghorne, Cr D Mallard, Cr M McDonell, Cr S Peterson, Cr G Power, Cr J Stedman Chief Executive Officer, Director Corporate & Commercial Services, Director Development Services, Director Community, Recreation & Cultural Services, Director Infrastructure, Manager Corporate Governance, Acting Manager Communications & Engagement (Townsend), Governance Officer (Allan) 1.1 APOLOGIES AND LEAVE OF ABSENCE RESOLVED - 26/278 Cr F King...