News & Updates

15 June 2022

Message from the Mayor

Cumberland

Council was recently nominated as a finalist in several categories for the 2022 NSW Local Government Awards. I am so pleased that our Community Development team took home the win for Council’s COVID-19 Community Support Hubs project.

The Community Support Hubs were established to meet the ever-growing demand for food relief in the Cumberland Local Government Area during the pandemic. Over 3,700 hampers were distributed to community members in need, providing food relief to families in isolation or who had lost employment.

Furthermore, Council was also highly commended in the category of Partnerships and Collaboration for the COVID-19 Vaccination Programs - Staff & Community Safety Project. Congratulations to all the dedicated staff on their hard work and achievements on these projects. You are all winners!

In other news, Cumberland Councillor, Glenn Elmore, was elected as Vice President - Central City of the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) at its board meeting held on 26 May. The WSROC is the peak body representing councils in Greater Western Sydney and advocates on behalf of communities on key issues including urban infrastructure, transport, economic development, waste and resources, and culture and arts.

Council hosted the 2022 Cumberland Housing and Homelessness Forum to discuss measures to help reduce homelessness within our local area. Whilst Cumberland has the second highest number of homeless persons by Local Government Area in NSW, this is a growing problem that needs to be addressed at all levels. The forum was a great opportunity for organisations to collaborate, share ideas and workshop actions that will help address the homelessness crisis and assist in ensuring that everyone has a home.

I also had the pleasure of attending the Zero Barriers Business Excellence Awards recently. This was a night that acknowledged the work of local businesses and services who have made changes to the way they do business to eliminate barriers for people with disability. Cumberland Council has been working closely with Zero Barriers to ensure that we create a more social, accessible and inclusive environment in our local area. I would like to congratulate all the nominees and winners for doing their part in helping us work towards zero barriers and making Cumberland a better place to live.

Lastly, I would like to highlight the Anti-Violence Against Staff campaign which Council developed and implemented to help curb aggression and violent attacks against our staff. The purpose of this campaign is to create a safer environment for our staff by raising awareness about this concerning issue. Our staff are here to serve and keep the community safe. So, let’s all be respectful of Council’s officers. Violence is not ok!

Mayor Lisa Lake

What's On

Lidcombe@night

- Wyatt Park

Round up your family and friends and enjoy a night under the stars at the Lidcombe@night – Wyatt Park event this Saturday 18 June.

Cumberland City Council is inviting you to join us at this family friendly event to showcase the recent infrastructure upgrades along Church Street and celebrate one of our proudest town centres. The evening will include:

Free outdoor cinema screening Spiderman – Into the Spider-Verse.

Engage with local community groups at their stalls.

Clinics hosted by sports organisations and clubs including Western Sydney Wanderers and The Western Magpies.

OzHarvest, Granville Rotary Club and Blend Bike serving up free food and drinks.

For more information visit

Council's website

FREE Studio Workshop Program

Council is calling on emerging artists with a disability, who are deaf or hard of hearing and who identify as Disabled Creatives to join our Studio Workshop Program.

This exciting 14-week studio program will run two days a week from July to November and will allow emerging artists to network and connect with other professional artists in our community within a supportive environment.

Submit an EOI now as applications close on Friday 17 June. For more information visit our website.

Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival 2022

One of Australia’s most photographed, natural and instragrammable cultural events, the Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival, is making a comeback to Auburn Botanic Gardens this August.

Held over nine days, the event pays homage to Japan’s traditions, music, pop culture and food, all while capturing the hearts of thousands as the Cherry Blossoms burst into colour across the grounds. The festival promises to bring back crowd favourites including; the ‘Cherry Trail’, the Japanese fusion food village and Izakaya Bar, the iconic Hello Kitty and loads more.

Council is currently seeking Expressions of Interest for suitable food stallholders and mobile food vehicles to participate in the event. If you are a vendor and are interested in being a part of this great festival, register your details by visiting the website.

Ageing Wiser and Healthier: Info Sessions

Learn more about the services that can help you stay healthy, active and connected at the Ageing Wiser and Healthier Information Sessions for seniors.

Cumberland City Council Seniors & Disability Services in partnership with Multicultural Health Services and Western Sydney Local Health District will be delivering two information sessions catering for seniors, from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

There will be information and free demonstrations including:

My Aged Care - different government funded support
EnCOMPASS: Multicultural Aged Care Connector
Cumberland City Council Seniors and Disability Team Services - assistance available from Council
Stepping On: Falls Prevention - a local health program, providing info on fall prevention and independent living
Zumba Presentation - exercise and learn new dance moves that you can do at home

The sessions dates and times will be held on;

Monday 27 June - delivered in Mandarin
Thursday 30 June - delivered in Arabic

Book your spot online or for more information you can call the

Service Development Team on 8757 9041.

Cumberland City Council Celebrates Refugee Week

Celebrate Refugee Week with us as we acknowledge the huge journey made by refugees to start a new life in Australia.

Simon Shahin will be sharing his story of how he settled in Australia as a refugee in 2015.

After years of living in fear of losing their lives and witnessing the horrific loss of innocent lives, Simon’s family desperately fled from war torn Syria

When: Wednesday 22 June from 11am

Where: Merrylands Library

To book your place, visit our website

Anti-Violence Against Staff campaign

Cumberland City Council is making a stance against violence, rolling out a new anti-violence campaign to curb assaults towards Council staff including parking patrol officers and rangers.

Council’s Work Health and Safety Committee received a report about incidents of verbal and physical assault against staff which found that from January 2020 to April 2022 there were over 65 reported incidents of either physical or verbal assault, with many other incidents that go unreported.

The majority of these assaults were reported at school pick up/drop off zones, parking lots, at town centres and along suburban streets across the Cumberland Local Government Area, including locations in Auburn, Guildford, Granville, Lidcombe and Merrylands.

For more information visit our website

Alcohol Free Zones 2022

Council is seeking your feedback on the number and location of alcohol-free zones and locations in Cumberland.

Council has already established 46 alcohol-free zones throughout the area, in line with the Local Government Act 1993, and is proposing to renew these existing zones so that the dates for future renewals are aligned and all 46 areas are assessed in the same time periods.

Submissions close:

Thursday 23 June

To submit your feedback, visit the website

Have Your Say on the Community Engagement Strategy

Whether you live, work, study or play in Cumberland City, we want to know your thoughts about our new Community Engagement Strategy, which will outline the guiding principles and approach to ensure the community has an opportunity to provide feedback in a meaningful way.

This Community Engagement Strategy has been developed to guide engagement practices with the local community, businesses and stakeholders when Council is developing its plans, policies and programs.

Submissions close:

Thursday 30 June

To have your say, visit the website

Lifestyle & Leisure Links Program

Council is rolling out a new Seniors & Disability Services (Lifestyle & Leisure Links Program) to provide inclusive opportunities for people with disability to reach their goals and aspirations.

The program starting

18 June will feature:

Opportunities to develop skills in independence
Programs to achieve fitness, health & wellbeing goals
Programs in the Arts
A bowling competition with other peer groups and much more

This NDIS funded program has a proud history of developing social networks and establishing meaningful friendships for local adults with disability.

To find out more and how to join please visit the website