FAQs

In order to inform the preparation of the Draft Community Local Law, Council undertook a preliminary community engagement process during April and June 2022. The purpose of this engagement was to gain an understanding on what matters to the community in regard to safety and amenity, and how important it is for Council to monitor those activities. The engagement activities undertaken included face to face pop up listening posts, meetings with Council’s Advisory Committees and other external partnership committees (Liquor Accord) and an online survey through Council’s Your Say Maroondah webpage. 

The findings of the engagement are found in the Documents section General Local Law Review - Report on Consultation July 2022. 

Councils use local laws to address community needs and issues within a municipality. Local laws are designed to protect public health, safety and amenity. They aim to ensure that the actions of an individual or group do not unreasonably impact on the rest of the community.

Local laws only apply within the municipality they are made in.  They cannot duplicate, conflict with or be inconsistent with other State or Federal laws.

 The Community Local Law covers areas including:

• use of Council land and roads
• protection of Council land and assets
• matters that protect the environmental amenity, health and safety of our community
• building site management and asset protection
• waste management
• keeping of animals
• liquor and smoke free areas

When a council wishes to make a new local law, it must seek community feedback on the Local Law, have it reviewed by a legal practitioner, and advertise the new local law to the community and consider any submissions received before it decides to implement the Local Law.

Local Laws are usually in place for a 10-year period and are reviewed during this time frame. This ensures that they remain suitable and continue to address the needs of the community.