May Council Meeting Round-Up

Published on 23 May 2025

This month’s council meeting included many important topics – from location of the Murrumbateman all-abilities playground, approval of the Highway Service Station on Long Rail Gully/Barton Hwy, key DA and rezoning decisions, and footpaths in Murrumbateman. Here’s a quick run-down of what you need to know: 

May Council Meeting Round-Up 

The meeting started with an Open Forum, where members of the public put forward their views on local matters. Community members and developers spoke for the Murrumbateman Playground; raised the need for a Murrumbateman Masterplan; spoke for and against the Long Rail Gully Servo; and spoke for the Cusack Place and 3047/3071 Barton Hwy planning proposals.

Some of the key items discussed were: 

• Murrumbateman Playground – Council agreed to site the new all-abilities playground at 10 Hercules Street in the village and thanked the community for their active participation and interest in this project.
• Highway Service Centre at Long Rail Gully Road and Barton Hwy, Murrumbateman – Council approved conditional development consent.   
• Planning Proposals – all approved for (1) 34 Isabel Drive, Murrumbateman (serviced apartments at Shaw Wines); (2) Cusack Place, Yass (rezoning and reducing the minimum lot size for a potential 220 lot development), and (3) 3047/3071 Barton Highway Murrumbateman (amend formal requirements for a footpath to Scrubby Lane and playground).
• Murrumbateman Footpaths – Thank you to the individual who worked with Murrumbateman school children to raise an issue of safety with the Murrumbateman footpath network. Council will consider Safer Pedestrian Access around Murrumbateman as part of their Active Transport Strategy and Action Plan.  
• Yass Valley Council Community Satisfaction Survey – A copy will be placed on the Council website and areas of low satisfaction will be addressed.
• Councillor Fees – Accepted the NSW Local Government Tribunal recommendation for a 3% increase in Councillor fees to be included in the 2025 budget.

To find out more, read the meeting minutes online, or listen again via our live link.