We’re drafting a Community Facilities Future Plan to explore new ideas and ways our diverse and unique halls and community facilities can continue to serve our community and bring people together for years to come.
We have been consulting our hall committee volunteers over the last 12 months about changes to the way our halls and community facilities will be managed in the future.
A report on the Community Facilities Future Plan will go to Council in April 2025. The elected Council will make decisions about which models to adopt.
Find out more about the proposed models and Plan below.
With fewer volunteers available to manage these facilities and an increasing need for compliance with governance and risk standards, it’s time to explore new ways of operating.
We want to ensure there is still a meaningful role for community members in supporting our community spaces.
We also know that affordable community spaces are hard to find, and we're committed to ensuring our halls remain accessible to everyone.
New models for managing community facilities
Volunteer committee members have played a key role in the change process. Helping us understand the needs of hirers and what might work best.
Insights about what’s working and what’s not were shared at a workshop in October 2023. Feedback has also been collected during committee meetings throughout the last 12 months.
Over the next few months, we’ll be exploring alternative models for managing community facilities.
For example:
- Council management
- Lease and license agreements (such as Kohinur Hall)
- Models that involve community or arts organisations.
There might be different solutions for different halls.
Each option will be assessed for its ability to:
- Meet community needs.
- Ensure Council’s legal obligations are met.
- Align with the role community members might want to play.
This project is about posing sustainable models for the future which maintain these spaces as vibrant community assets while adapting to current realities.
Standard booking process
We’re making adjustments along the way as we work towards larger changes.
We want to make sure we handle risk and liability better, so Council can carry out its responsibilities, not volunteers.
In December 2024, Council will be welcoming a Community Facilities Officer who will be taking over from the paid Venue Coordinator contractors at Mullumbimby Civic Hall and Bangalow A&I Hall.
They will take on the bookings for Marvell Hall in Byron Bay and Brunswick Heads Memorial Hall in February 2025.
Most councils across NSW have found that providing dedicated staff to handle bookings allows community volunteers to focus on what matters most: supporting improvements to halls and connecting with the local community.
We’re confident that this new role will bring positive improvements, ensuring our venues continue to run smoothly and meet the needs of our community.
Online booking system
We will be introducing the online booking system Bookable.
This system allows hirers to:
- easily see hall availability
- make enquiries
- make payments.
This change is part of our ongoing effort to streamline operations and provide more consistent support to our community halls.
What this means for hirers and community members
As part of this project, we are exploring booking systems and processes that simplify the experience for hirers.
We want to minimise disruption to hirers during the change process.
For the community, our aim is to keep these spaces accessible and affordable.
What’s happening next?
We have been consulting our hall committee volunteers over the last 12 months.
We are hosting a stakeholder workshop for all hall committee volunteers on Wednesday 4 December to provide further details and to invite feedback and ideas.
Hall hirers will be contacted in early 2025 for their thoughts and feedback. We’ll provide opportunities for volunteers and hirers to participate as the project progresses.
A report on the Community Facilities Future Plan will go to Council in April 2025. The elected Council will make decisions about which models to adopt.
Celebrating our volunteers
We want to acknowledge the incredible contributions of our volunteers over the years. Their dedication, energy, and time have been instrumental in making these spaces welcoming and functional for community events, programs, and gatherings.
Our volunteers go above and beyond and we are deeply grateful for everything they do.