Expressions of Interest: Alphington Community Reference Group
Applications are now open to join this newly established group focused on the suburb of Alphington.
Alphington has a growing community and Yarra City Council is forming a working group to consider issues related to the suburb's future.
Following a resolution made at the 10 February 2026 Council Meeting, this reference group will be formed in accordance with the Alphington Community Reference Group's Terms of Reference.
The group will include up to 10 community or local community group representatives, alongside the local ward councillor (Yarra Bend Ward), Mayor or Deputy Mayor and Council Officers.
They will provide input on a range of issues facing Alphington, which could include development sites and community infrastructure, open space, sustainability, traffic and transport and local amenity.
The group will meet for the first time in April 2026 and quarterly meetings will follow.
Who can apply?
Council is inviting expressions of interest from community members who are interested in the future of Alphington and represent a range of different views and interests. This includes a demonstrated understanding of:
Community needs, concerns and issues relating to Alphington
An understanding of the role Local Government has in the planning and provision of community infrastructure
An ability and commitment to consider and value a wide cross section of community views.
How to apply?
To express interest, please complete the online form by Friday 27 March and include:
Your name, street address, email address and phone number
Details of any community groups you represent
A short statement (100 to 150 words) on why you’d be a good representative.
| Name of Reference Group | Alphington Community Reference Group |
|---|---|
| Purpose of the Reference Group | The purpose of the Alphington Community Reference Group (the Reference Group) is to provide an opportunity for residents and community groups to maintain dialogue with Council about shaping the future of Alphington, including the on-going development of the former Amcor site (with an emphasis on the development of community infrastructure, sporting facilities, open spaces and traffic and sustainable transportation) as well as community infrastructure, open space, sustainability, traffic and transport, and local amenity. The Reference Group has no delegated decision-making power from Council. |
| Membership criteria | The Committee will consist of the following membership structure:
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| Selection Criteria | Applicants will be invited to submit a short expression of interest form outlining the reason for their interest and addressing the membership criteria. If representing a local or a community group Approval of their respective local community group to be their representative must also be provided. The CEO of Yarra City Council will confirm participants in consultation with the Mayor on recommendation from the General Manager City Sustainability and Strategy. The CEO’s decision will be final. |
| Chairperson | The role of Chairperson shall be undertaken by the Yarra Bend Ward Councillor. 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 Advisory Committee. |
| Quorum | A quorum of the Committee will be ‘one third plus one’ of the total number of members present at a given Committee meeting. |
| Meetings | Meetings of the Committee will be held quarterly or more often by upon approval of the General Manager (taking into account workload, need, relevance). A schedule of meetings will be developed and agreed to annually. Under special circumstances a meeting may be cancelled, re-scheduled or conducted online. Meetings will be held either online via MS Teams or at a suitable Council venue that is central for all members to access. All members should be able to attend online meetings when requested by Council officers. It is expected that each member of the Reference Group will attend a minimum of three (3) meetings each year. A Reference Group member representing an organisation may send a delegate to a meeting if they are unable to attend. If a Reference Group member misses two (2) consecutive meetings, they will be asked to confirm if they wish to continue on the Committee. If a Reference Group member is absent from three (3) meetings during a two year period without explanation, the Reference Group member may be asked to resign. Reference Group meetings are closed to the public. |
| Governance Obligations | Conflict of interest Members of the Reference 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 Reference Group Councillor Reference Group members must disclose any conflict of interest in a matter being considered by the Committee in accordance with the Local Government Act 2020 and Council’s Governance Rules. A non-Councillor Reference Group member 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 non-Councillor Reference Group member believes they have a conflict of interest in a matter before the Reference Group, then that member must declare their interest and not partake in any discussion had or decision made in relation to the matter and leave the room for the item. The declaration will be recorded in the minutes of the meeting. Any matter deemed by a non-Councillor Reference Group member to give rise to a conflict of interest shall be reported to the Chairperson and Council secretariat either prior to a meeting or before the specific item is discussed and dealt with in line with any relevant Council policies or guidelines. Confidential Information and Privacy Reference Group members must not disclose information that they know or should reasonably know is confidential information. Reference Group members have an obligation to not publicly disclose any materials or information obtained or discussed through their membership of the Reference Group that is not already publicly available (other than because of a breach of a Reference Group member’s obligations under these Terms of Reference). Reference Group members should be mindful of their obligations under the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 regarding the use and disclosure of information. Standards of Conduct To ensure Council’s reference groups are conducted in a respectful and efficient manner, members of Reference Groups must:
Any alleged breaches of the standards of conduct will be dealt with in accordance with the Council Committees Policy. Transparency In order to maintain transparency of Reference Group operations the following information is to be published on Council’s website:
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| Related documents | Reference Group members will be provided with access to relevant documents and policies to assist them with their work. |