FAQ

It’s important we have plans for how we manage community land.  The plan helps us work out:

·  What the land is so we can build an accurate register

·  How the land should be used and what the objectives of the site are

·  If there are any proposal for change planned for the site

·  How we will measure if the council has been successful at meeting the site objectives 

Knowing all this helps us put the right resources aside for managing the sites. It also helps us to plan at the local and regional level for the development and future requirements of the area.

All land owned by a council or under a council’s care control and management, other than roads, is classified as community land. Some operational land owned by Council, such as depots and offices, has been excluded from community land and is not subject to a community land management plan.

Examples of Community Land include:

·  Conservation land - such as reserves

·  Informal recreation - spaces such as playgrounds, walking track, picnic facilities, reserves

·  Halls and Institutes – all associated buildings

·  Community use spaces – such as child care centres, kindergarten, scouts or guides

·  Recreation and sporting facilities – such as ovals and courts

·  Cemeteries

·  Walkways and other land held for access purposes

Community land serves an important purpose, it:

·  Provides services and facilities that benefit the area, ratepayers, residents and visitors to its area including community services or facilities, and cultural or recreational services or facilities

·  Provides for the welfare, well-being and interests of individuals and groups within its community

·  Manages, develops, protects, restores, enhances and conserves the environment in an ecologically sustainable manner, and to improve amenity

·  Provides infrastructure for its community and for development within its area

·  Promotes its area and to provide an attractive climate and locations for the development of business, commerce, industry and tourism.

The Act and the Local Government (General) Regulations 2013 set out our requirements in relation to community land. We must prepare and adopt a management plan or management plans for our community land if  the land is, or is to be, occupied under a lease or licence or the land has been, or is to be, specifically modified or adapted for the benefit or enjoyment of the community.

Section 196 of the Act states that a management plan must:

·  Identify the land to which it applies

·  State the purpose for which the land is held by the council

·  State the council's objectives, policies (if any) and proposals for the management of the land

·  State performance targets and how the council proposes to measure its performance against its objectives and performance targets.

We must also keep a register of community land. The register must contain, in respect of each piece of community land in the area: the legal description of the land, the Certificate of Title Register Book Volume and Folio Number, address, land owner and any lease or licence granted over the land.