Planning for the future of Community Halls

We’re drafting a Community Facilities Future Plan. The Plan will explore new ways in which our unique halls and facilities can best serve our community. 

We've been consulting with our hall committee volunteers for over 12 months about possible changes. Insights about what’s working, and what’s not, were shared at workshops in October 2023 and November 2024.

Hall hirers will be contacted in early 2025 for their thoughts and feedback, as well. 

A report on the Community Facilities Future Plan will then go to Council in August 2025, to make decisions about which models to adopt. 

Find out more below.

Why is change needed? 

With fewer volunteers available to manage our facilities, and an increasing need for compliance with governance and risk standards, it’s time to explore new ways of operating.

We also want to make sure we handle risk and liability better so that Council, not volunteers, carry out Council responsibilities.

What this means for hirers and community members 

For hirers, we are exploring booking systems and processes that simplify the experience.  

For the community, our aim is to keep these spaces accessible and affordable.

We also want to ensure there's still a meaningful role for community members in supporting our community facilities.

New models for managing community facilities

We're looking at sustainable models for the future that maintain our facilities as vibrant community assets, while adapting to current realities.

Alternative models for managing community facilities could include:

  • Council management of facilities
  • Lease and license arrangements (such as Kohinur Hall)
  • Models that involve community or arts organisations

There might be different solutions for each facility. 

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

Volunteer committee members play a key role in the process by helping us understand what might work best.

Standardised booking processes

We’re also making adjustments along the way as we work towards larger changes.

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.

In December 2024, Council welcomed a Community Facilities Officer who has taken over from the paid Venue Coordinator contractors at Mullumbimby Civic Hall and Bangalow A&I Hall.

The Community Facilities Officer also takes bookings for Marvell Hall in Byron Bay and Brunswick Heads Memorial Hall. 

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.

We will also 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’s happening next?

We're reviewing all the information we've gathered so far, including from the workshops for hall committee volunteers held in 2023 and 2024. 

Hall hirers will be contacted in early 2025 for their thoughts and feedback.

We’ll provide opportunities for volunteers and hirers to participate again as the project progresses.

A report on the Community Facilities Future Plan will go to Council in August 2025 to decide 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 so grateful for everything they do.

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