Community groups wanting to deliver projects on Council managed land are invited to submit their proposals in line with a new schedule to ensure each initiative is given the support and resources needed for success.
Launched six months ago, 20 applications have been submitted via the online application portal by community groups wanting to drive upgrades or embellishments on public spaces.
Director of City Services, Kevin Norwood, said the initial testing phase revealed a high volume of applications. To ensure these are properly assessed, the submission process will be temporarily paused and a schedule established to manage applications ongoing.
"Council staff are now working through a large volume of submissions and have created a quarterly cycle to provide clear guidance to applicants," Mr Norwood said.
"We want proposals to have the best chance of success, so setting clear expectations on timelines and how our staff can support community groups is the critical next step," he said.
"Project delivery staff maintain oversight of community-led construction activities to ensure safety and quality requirements are being met. We also need to balance the demands of that support with the delivery of Council's own capital works program.
"Due to the complexity of some initiatives, the first half of 2026 will be used to get on top of the submissions that are under evaluation and support the progression of those already set for delivery."
Initiatives so far have ranged from park benches and shelters to more complex projects such as new sporting clubhouses, which can be time consuming for staff and applicants to get to delivery phase.
The online portal will be closed from midnight Sunday 21 December until 30 June 2026 and then move to a quarterly submission cycle. Staff remain available to answer questions from community groups considering future submissions.
Key dates include:
21 December 2025: deadline for submissions already under development
22 December 2025 - 30 June 2026: portal closed for assessments
1 July 2026 – 30 September 2026: portal re-opens
1 October 2026 - 31 December: portal closed for assessments
1 January 2027 – 31 March 2027: portal re-opens
1 April – 30 June 2027: portal closed for assessments
Community groups who are currently drafting their proposals are encouraged to use the next three weeks to complete and upload their submissions by 21 December 2025, before the portal is suspended for six months.
Groups who have considered applying are encouraged to use this time to prepare so they're ready to submit when the portal opens again in July. Supporting information will remain available to view and download via the website during this time.
About the portal
The portal generates a centralised register, accessible to relevant staff across the organisation, and ensures consistency for all applicants. The page has a comprehensive guide on how to plan for and apply for a Community-Led Project, in addition to information on the requirements, obligations and risks associated with delivering a project.
Council assessment is based on alignment with strategic plans, financial implications, community support, resourcing and risk. Community-Led Projects that do not align with relevant criteria may not be supported.
The application portal ensures key information critical to gaining Council support is included for assessment, but this does require staff to dedicate time and resources to ensure a rigorous review and support applicants to progress their community-led projects.
Feedback has indicated a high level of interest from groups who want to work closely with Council and are keen to better understand what needs to be considered to deliver a successful project in partnership with Council.
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