A fair approach to sportsground allocations

They support our health and wellbeing, bring people together, and help build a strong sense of community. We’re reviewing how sportsgrounds are allocated and managed, to make sure access is fair, clear and sustainable — now and into the future.

Why we’re reviewing sportsground allocations

Council-managed sportsgrounds are shared public assets. Each season, local sports clubs request access to these grounds for training and competition, alongside schools, casual hirers and informal users such as walkers and families.
Our current approach to allocating sportsgrounds has largely been based on historical arrangements. Over time, this has created challenges. Feedback from clubs, residents and Council reviews has highlighted that:

• Some clubs are allocated more time than they use, while others struggle to access suitable space
• Newer, growing or more inclusive clubs can face barriers to participation
• The current system can feel unclear and inconsistent
• Flat contribution models don’t always reflect actual use or the true cost of maintaining sportsgrounds

With the existing policy due to expire at the end of the 2025–26 financial year, this is an opportunity to improve how sportsgrounds are shared — in a way that reflects today’s participation patterns, growth pressures and community expectations.

Working with sports clubs to shape the draft policy

We’ve been working closely with local sports clubs and associations who are most directly affected. Through workshops, surveys and conversations, clubs have helped shape a draft Sportsground Allocation Policy built around shared principles such as fairness, inclusion, sustainability and community benefit.
This early engagement has focused on what a fair system should look like, how access can better reflect actual use, and how sportsgrounds can be managed responsibly as shared community spaces.
Now, we’re inviting the wider community to have their say.

We want to hear from the whole community

Sports clubs are important users of sportsgrounds — but they’re not the only ones. Residents, families, schools, casual hirers, spectators and people who use sportsgrounds informally all connect with these spaces in different ways.

Your feedback will help inform how Council:

• Balances organised sport with casual and informal use
• Prioritises different types of activity and community benefit
• Improves fairness and transparency in how sportsgrounds are allocated

Protects the quality and sustainability of our grounds over time
Whether you’re a player, volunteer, parent, dog walker, supporter or local resident, your perspective matters.

Have your say 

The draft Sportsground Allocation Policy is now open for community feedback.

Visit Have Your Say to view the policy and complete the survey by Tuesday 13 May: www.haveyoursaygleneira.com.au/sportsgrounds 

After community engagement closes, we’ll share what we heard and explain how feedback has informed the final policy.