Help us develop an improved Allocation and Use of Sporting Facilities, Grounds and Pavilions Policy

Merri-bek was the first Council in Victoria to prioritise the allocation and use of sporting facilities, grounds and pavilions to clubs which demonstrate inclusiveness of women and girls in particular. Merri-bek prides itself on being a leader in female participation in sports.

In 2009, Merri-bek City Council began research and consultation to identify the key challenges in the provision of sport and active recreation for women and girls within the municipality. This resulted in the development of the Active Women and Girls Strategy in 2009, subsequently updated in 2011 and 2015.

To address the inequity found in the research, Council also introduced an Allocation and Use of Sporting Facilities, Grounds and Pavilions Policy in 2010, subsequently updated in 2012 and 2016. The policy requested clubs to be inclusive of women, juniors, people with a disability and people from culturally diverse communities, or risk losing allocation of a ground to clubs who do offer inclusive programs.

At its meeting on 9 March 2022, Council resolved to review the current Allocation and Use of Sporting Facilities, Grounds and Pavilions Policy.

As the first step in this process, we have developed a Discussion Paper that provides key points of consideration to ensure Council continues to meet obligations across various policies, actions and plan, and provides suggestions to be incorporated into a new policy.

Merri-bek is committed to supporting our local clubs to thrive and flourish.

We can do this by using our Allocation and Use of Sporting Facilities, Grounds and Pavilions Policy to strengthen the great work already happening across our municipality. The Policy supports: