The Citizens Park Working Group has been convened by Council in relation to the future shared use of Citizens Park. The working group will give advice to Councillors in attendance on the following themes:

1. Ensuring that other users exit the ground when organised sport is underway (matches and training).
2. Sporting clubs adhere to booking times and cancel bookings if bookings are not required.
3. Dog walkers monitor their dogs, clean up after them and ensure that their dog does not dig up the turf.

The Citizens Park Working Group has no delegated decision-making power from Council.

The Citizens Park Working Group is established for the period of 5 March 2025 to 30 June 2025.

The purpose of the working group is discussion on the following Council matters in relation to Citizens Park:

1. No alteration to the off-lead status of the oval at Citizens Park.
2. Increased enforcement, including dog registrations.
3. Council ensures that dog poo bags are replenished, and toilets are regularly cleaned.
4. Citizens Park be lit until 10pm.
5. Council provides real-time data on bookings.
6. Council considers installing a CCTV camera with a live feed so that park users can check when the ground is in use.
7. The development of a protocol around interactions between the sporting clubs and vulnerable park users.
8. Prioritises work on the establishment of additional open spaces that are suitable for multiple uses, as well as improved infrastructure for safer dog-walking areas in existing parks.
9. The establishment of further open space in Richmond, Cremorne and Abbotsford where there has been a significant increase in the population and further population growth is forecast, having regard to the recommendations in Council’s Open Space Strategy 2020-2024.

The Committee will consist of the following membership structure:

• Ward Councillors (Boulevard, Lennox, Melba and Langridge)
• A representative from Council’s Animal Management team; and

no more than 15 community/stakeholder members, including one from each of the following:

• Richmond City Cricket Club
• Richmond Junior Football Club
• Richmond Harriers Athletics Club
• Richmond High School
• The Melbourne Clinic
• Richmond Boxing Club

Council will write to the above organisations to ascertain a nomination from each. The remaining members will come from a public EOI process and comprise pet owners who use the park, personal trainers and general public members who also use the park.

Nine positions on the working group will come from pet owners, personal trainers and the general public. Interested participants will be invited to complete a short Expression of Interest (EOI) form and the CEO of Yarra City Council will confirm participants on recommendation from the General Manager City Sustainability and Strategy.

The CEO will give consideration to an equal number of community members who use the park for a variety of purposes. The CEO’s decision in relation to the composition of the working group will be final.

The role of Chairperson shall be undertaken by a Councillor, with Councillors selecting the Chairperson prior to the first meeting.

The Chairperson is responsible for the conduct of meetings, ensuring fair and equitable opportunities for views and opinions to be voiced and discussed by the working group.

A deputy Chairperson must be elected to chair meetings in the absence of the Chairperson.

Meetings of the working group will be held every six weeks and cease on 30 June 2025.

A schedule of meetings will be developed by Council officers and agreed to by the working group. All working group meetings will be held online via MS Teams. Under special circumstances, a meeting may be cancelled, re-scheduled, with all members being notified by Council.

It is expected that each member of the working group will attend all scheduled meetings.

A working group member representing an organisation may send a delegate to a meeting if they are unable to attend.

If a working group member misses two consecutive meetings, they will be asked to confirm if they wish to continue on the working group.

Working group meetings are closed to the public.

Conflict of Interest:

The Local Government Act contains provisions for the disclosure of conflicts of interest when they arise. Members of the working group must be fully aware of their responsibilities with regard to the management of interests in relation to the discharge of their duties as members of the working group.

A person will have a Conflict of Interest if they have a personal or private interest that may compromise their ability to act in the public interest.

If a working group member believes they have a Conflict of Interest in a matter before the working group then that member must declare their interest, and not partake in any discussion or decision on the matter. The declaration will be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

Any matter deemed by a member to represent a Conflict of Interest shall be reported to the Chairperson and Council officer either prior to a meeting or before the specific item is discussed and dealt with in line with the Act and any relevant Council policies or guidelines.

Confidential Information and Privacy

Working group members must respect the confidential and sensitivity of information as appropriate.

Information discussed, received, used or created by the working group must be treated as confidential. Any member of a Council committee or working group must not disclose, record, retain or reproduce information that they know, or should reasonably know, is confidential.

Working group members should be mindful not to disclose the private information of individuals, including other working group members.

Standards of Conduct

To ensure advisory committees / working groups are conducted in a respectful and efficient manner, working group members must:

• Act with integrity
  • Impartially exercise their responsibilities in the interests of the local community.
  • Not improperly seek to confer an advantage or disadvantage on any person, including themselves.
  • Listen actively and acknowledge diverse perspectives.
  • Communicate openly and honestly while maintaining professionalism
  • Treat all persons with respect and have due regard to the opinions, beliefs, rights and responsibilities of Councillors, working group/committee members and Council officers.
  • Commit to providing a safe, inclusive and productive environment free from discrimination, harassment and bullying by not engaging in behaviour that is intimidating or that may constitute discrimination, harassment or bullying.
  • Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others
  • Commit to regular attendance at meetings.
  • Contribute positively to discussions and decision-making processes.

Any breach of these standards by a community representative may result in termination of membership.

Transparency

In order to maintain transparency of working group operations, the following

information is to be published on Council’s website in respect of each working group/committee:

• Terms of Reference
• Names of all members (where appropriate)
• Minutes of meetings