During 2006 Walgett Shire Council prepared a draft Local Environmental Plan with a view to satisfying the requirements of Part 2 of Chapter 6 of the Local Government Act 1993 which state that Councils must classify all land as "operational" or "community". In general terms community land comprises Council owned land that is kept for use by the general public, such as a park or public hall. The Local Government Act 1993 also requires that Council prepare a plan of management such land.
Operational land ordinarily comprises land held as a temporary asset or as an investment, land which facilitates the carrying out by a council of its functions or land which may not be open to the general public, such as a works depot or a council depot. It also includes land that Council may wish to sell for residential or industrial type development.
The report on the Section 430 Investigation into Walgett Shire Council published by the Department of Local Government on 29 January 2004 identified that Council failed to classify its land holdings in accordance with the Local Government Act 1993. This situation was reinforced via the Walgett Shire Council Public Inquiry - Report of the Commissioner Robert A Bulford published in June 2004.
Documents associated with the process of developing the Local Environmental Plan are provided below.
