community services · Woollahra Municipal Council
Woollahra small businesses offered 50% cut to footway and parklet fees
Businesses with gross annual turnover of $3 million or less per premises can opt in to a 12-month fee reduction from 1 July 2026.
Eligible small businesses in the Woollahra local government area will pay half their footway or parklet approval fees for 12 months from 1 July 2026, under a program carried by the Strategic & Corporate Committee in a 12-0 vote.
The program applies to businesses with gross annual turnover of $3 million or less at each individual premises. It covers businesses holding footway or parklet approvals, including operators using outdoor areas for trading.
The discount will not be applied automatically. Businesses must opt in and undergo independent financial verification as part of the application process.
Woollahra Municipal Council will amend its 2026-27 Fees and Charges Schedule to include the 50 per cent reduction. The General Manager has authority to finalise the application, verification and other administrative arrangements needed to implement the program.
The committee’s recommendation described the reduction as support for small local businesses while maintaining Council’s financial sustainability. It does not state the dollar value of individual footway or parklet approval fees after the reduction, or how many premises are expected to qualify.
Council will monitor applications and the program’s financial impact. An update is due during the January 2027 budget review, covering uptake, effectiveness and the financial implications of the fee reduction.
The program followed a response to a mayoral minute on support for local businesses. The committee also recommended changing the fees schedule to include the option for the 2026-27 financial year. Final administrative details, including the verification process, are to be settled by the General Manager.
Reference minutes
Woollahra Municipal Council’s Strategic & Corporate Committee considered the program on 15 June 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- The proposed fee reduction is 50 per cent for eligible footway and parklet approval holders.
- Eligibility is based on gross annual turnover of $3 million or less per individual premises.
- The program is scheduled to run for 12 months from 1 July 2026.
- Businesses must opt in and provide independent financial verification.
- The committee voted 12-0 to recommend the program.
- Uptake and financial impacts are due to be reviewed in January 2027.
Why it matters
- Eligible local businesses using footways or parklets will have lower approval costs for 12 months, but they must apply and independently verify their turnover before receiving the reduction.