Section 355 Committees
Under Section 355 of the Local Government Act, councils have the authority to delegate certain functions to a committee of council, commonly known as Section 355 Management Committees.
In Bellingen Shire Council, there is a significant number of community halls and recreation reserves. Recognizing the substantial responsibility of managing these facilities, the Council has entrusted the management to members of the local community who actively utilize these venues.
Council is fortunate to have dedicated community volunteers who form these S355 committees of management. Their invaluable contributions ensure the continued operation and accessibility of these halls and reserves to the public. These committees bear the day-to-day responsibility for the management of the facilities, allowing for their continued use and enjoyment by the community.
Support
Council is committed to supporting committees in the work that they do. The following information and resources will assist committees in their role managing and operating community halls and facilities in the best possible way.
For further information and requests for assistance, please contact Council's Community Planning Officer on 6655 7300.
Committee Resources
Grants
There are numerous grant opportunities each year that are available to S355 committees, sporting groups and museums to assist in the maintenance and improvement of facilities or related events and projects.
If you are applying for a grant via an external funding opportunity, you MUST advise Council of your intention to submit a grant application.
In the first instance, please contact the Group Leader Technical Services at Council to discuss your proposal. In addition, a Property Owners Consent Application-for-Property-Owners-Consent-Form_1.pdf(PDF, 107KB) form must be completed for any grant applications that are to be submitted by a committee or user group to seek Council approval for proposed works. A Development Application (DA) may also be required depending on the nature of the works.
Council can assist with applications and can provide letters of support, assist with quotes, budget, working out priority areas, advise on whether a DA is required.
Council's Community Development Officer provides information on available funding through an email distribution list. To be added to this list, please contact our Community Partnerships Team.
List of Section 355 Committees