Water & environment · Inner West Council
Inner West votes to end parks FOGO trial after low participation, high contamination
Council approved concluding the trial without proceeding to Phase 2 and directed that its data and learnings be sent to the NSW EPA.
Reporting from draft minutes. Recorded wording may change when confirmed. How this article was prepared
Inner West Council resolved to end its food organics and garden organics trial in public parks due to low participation and high contamination during Phase 1, according to unconfirmed minutes. Councillors voted 14-0 to conclude the trial and not proceed to Phase 2, with Councillor Tastan absent for the Item 7 vote.
The council’s resolution also requires trial data and learnings to be provided to the NSW EPA to inform further work on FOGO in parks and public spaces.
The minutes do not give participation or contamination figures, identify the parks and bins covered by Phase 1, or state the trial’s cost. They also do not rule out future work on organics services in public spaces, but no further parks phase was approved at the meeting.
A separate FOGO program for multi-unit dwellings was endorsed at the same meeting. Planning is due to begin in October 2026, with universal access targeted for December 2027. Council staff must also undertake a targeted trial within three months, working with Cardinal Freeman Retirement Community or another location if it does not participate.
The parks trial resolution was recorded in the unconfirmed minutes of Inner West Council’s 22 September 2026 meeting.
What deserves a closer look
The minutes record a clear distinction between the decision to conclude the public-park trial and the separately endorsed multi-unit-dwelling program.
Council directed that the parks trial results be provided to the NSW EPA, but the resolution does not specify whether or when another parks phase could be considered.
Questions for follow-up reporting
What participation and contamination rates were recorded during Phase 1?
How many parks and bins were included in the trial?
What will happen to any equipment used in the parks trial, and what was its cost?
Will the NSW EPA recommend changes before any future FOGO program in public spaces?
What happens next
Provide the parks trial data and learnings to the NSW EPA as directed by the resolution.
Commence planning for staged FOGO access to multi-unit dwellings in October 2026.
Undertake the targeted trial of the planned Stage 4 approach within three months, working with Cardinal Freeman Retirement Community or another location if it elects not to participate.
Target universal FOGO access for multi-unit dwellings by December 2027.
Check the record
These passages were matched to the source text. Read them in context in the original minutes.
Council noted Phase 1 outcomes and approved concluding the parks FOGO trial, including not proceeding to Phase 2, due to low participation and high contamination levels.
Councillor Tastan left the Meeting at 7:56 pm. C0926(3) Item 7 FOGO in Parks Trial Outcomes Motion: (Howard/Blake) That Council: 1. Note the outcomes of Phase 1 of the FOGO in parks trial. 2. Approve concluding the trial, including not proceeding to Phase 2, due to low participation and high contamination levels. 3. Provide data and learnings from the trial to the NSW EPA to inform further work on progressing FOGO in parks and public spaces. Motion Carried For Motion: Crs Antoniou, Atkins, Barlow, Blake, Byrne, Carlisle, Clay, D'Arienzo, Fergusson, Howard, Macri, Raciti, Scott and Smith Against Motion: Nil Absent: Cr Tastan Councillor Tastan returned to the Meeting at 7:59 pm.
Item 7, FOGO in Parks Trial Outcomes, motion and result
Open original minutes ↗The resolution requires trial data and learnings to be provided to the NSW EPA to inform further work on FOGO in parks and public spaces.
2. Approve concluding the trial, including not proceeding to Phase 2, due to low participation and high contamination levels. 3. Provide data and learnings from the trial to the NSW EPA to inform further work on progressing FOGO in parks and public spaces. Motion Carried For Motion: Crs Antoniou, Atkins, Barlow, Blake, Byrne, Carlisle, Clay, D'Arienzo, Fergusson, Howard, Macri, Raciti, Scott and Smith Against Motion: Nil Absent: Cr Tastan Councillor Tastan returned to the Meeting at 7:59 pm.
Item 7, FOGO in Parks Trial Outcomes, points 2–3 and result
Open original minutes ↗The motion passed with 14 councillors in favour, none against, and Councillor Tastan absent.
Motion Carried For Motion: Crs Antoniou, Atkins, Barlow, Blake, Byrne, Carlisle, Clay, D'Arienzo, Fergusson, Howard, Macri, Raciti, Scott and Smith Against Motion: Nil Absent: Cr Tastan Councillor Tastan returned to the Meeting at 7:59 pm.
Item 7, FOGO in Parks Trial Outcomes, recorded vote
Open original minutes ↗Council endorsed staged FOGO expansion to multi-unit dwellings, with program planning to commence in October 2026 and universal access targeted by December 2027.
Councillor Clay left the Meeting at 8:05 pm. C0926(3) Item 9 Expanding FOGO to Multi-Unit Dwellings Motion: (Howard/Smith) That: 1. Council endorse the staged expansion of Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) services to multi-unit dwellings across the Inner West, supported by targeted resident education, bin-room signage, performance feedback and engagement activities, with program planning to commence in October 2026 and provide universal FOGO access to multi-unit dwellings by December 2027. 2. In addition to the program outlined in the report, Council staff investigate options for peer-to-peer learning, where strata and buildings that have successfully implemented FOGO in their building provide advice and learnings to those working to do so. 3. Council staff, within the next three months, undertake a targeted trial of the planned approach for Stage 4 by working with Cardinal Freeman Retirement Community to adopt FOGO (or another location in the event that Cardinal Freeman elects not to participate at this time) and use the findings to validate the staged approach as outlined in the report. 4. Expanding FOGO to multi-unit dwellings be added as a standing agenda item of the Waste Management Working Group. Council Meeting 22 September 2026 20 Motion Carried For Motion: Crs Antoniou, Atkins, Barlow, Blake, Byrne, Carlisle, D'Arienzo, Fergusson, Howard, Macri, Raciti, Scott, Smith and Tastan Against Motion: Nil Absent: Cr Clay C0926(3) Item 10 Local Transport Forum Meeting - 17 August 2025 Motion: (Howard/Atkins) That Council receive and adopt the recommendation of the Local Transport Forum meeting held on 17 August 2026, with the following amendment: a) LTF0826(1) Item 1: Delete (5) Camdenville Park - ELP Pole at Opposite 74 May Street
Item 9, Expanding FOGO to Multi-Unit Dwellings, motion and result
Open original minutes ↗Council directed staff to undertake a targeted trial of the planned Stage 4 approach within three months, working with Cardinal Freeman Retirement Community or another location if Cardinal Freeman elects not to participate.
3. Council staff, within the next three months, undertake a targeted trial of the planned approach for Stage 4 by working with Cardinal Freeman Retirement Community to adopt FOGO (or another location in the event that Cardinal Freeman elects not to participate at this time) and use the findings to validate the staged approach as outlined in the report. 4. Expanding FOGO to multi-unit dwellings be added as a standing agenda item of the Waste Management Working Group. Council Meeting 22 September 2026 20 Motion Carried For Motion: Crs Antoniou, Atkins, Barlow, Blake, Byrne, Carlisle, D'Arienzo, Fergusson, Howard, Macri, Raciti, Scott, Smith and Tastan Against Motion: Nil Absent: Cr Clay C0926(3) Item 10 Local Transport Forum Meeting - 17 August 2025 Motion: (Howard/Atkins) That Council receive and adopt the recommendation of the Local Transport Forum meeting held on 17 August 2026, with the following amendment: a) LTF0826(1) Item 1: Delete (5) Camdenville Park - ELP Pole at Opposite 74 May Street
Item 9, Expanding FOGO to Multi-Unit Dwellings, points 3–4 and result
Open original minutes ↗The supplied minutes of the 22 September 2026 Ordinary Council Meeting are unconfirmed.
Meeting closed at 9:58 pm. PUBLIC SPEAKERS: Item # Speaker Suburb Item 2: Sophia Kusznirczuk Richard James Adamson Sydney St Peters Item 3: David Rollinson Helen Hughes Summer Hill Summer Hill Item 13: Rick Wayde Glenn Scrimgeour Jean Kouriel Croydon Ashfield Marrickville Item 16: Diane Sargeant Balmain Item 41: Kathryn Allan Sydney Item 54: Judy Doyle Rozelle Item 55: Dinah Berlin Sharon Scott Balmain Balmain Unconfirmed Minutes from the Ordinary Council Meeting held on 22 September 2026.
Closing label of the minutes
Open original minutes ↗Source record
Reporting from the unconfirmed minutes of Inner West Council's Ordinary Council Meeting held on 22 September 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- Council resolved on 22 September 2026 to conclude the FOGO in parks trial and not proceed to Phase 2.
- The recorded reasons were low participation and high contamination levels.
- The resolution directs that trial data and learnings be provided to the NSW EPA.
- The motion passed 14-0, with Councillor Tastan absent for the vote.
- The separate multi-unit-dwelling FOGO rollout targets universal access by December 2027.
- The supplied minutes are unconfirmed.
Why it matters
- Council decided not to continue this parks FOGO trial to a second phase. It directed that the results be provided to the NSW EPA while pursuing a separate expansion of FOGO services for multi-unit dwellings.