General Local Law review
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Our Local Law is up for review! Merri-bek City Council is doing a review of the General Local Law, and you are invited to have your say!
What is the General Local Law?
The General Local Law guides Council’s compliance and enforcement activities for a wide range of topics, including property amenity, construction sites and the keeping of animals in Merri-bek.
What are some of the concerns we have heard from our community?
The Merri-bek community has told us poorly maintained buildings, equipment and private assets such as trolleys and waste present safety issues while making our neighbourhoods unsightly. We have also heard we need stronger rules on how waste is disposed of to prevent contamination and harm in public spaces, while stopping hooning and illegal motorsport activities. These are just some of the concerns our new Local Law will be designed to address.
Why is it under review?
By undertaking a review of the Local Law, Council can ensure it is meeting current community expectations while also protecting our community’s health, and safety and our assets and facilities.
We kindly invite your feedback on proposed changes to the Local Law, in addition to sharing your ideas on other issues you think we should explore.
Our approach will cover two rounds of community engagement to meet scheduled adoption by November 2026:,
- Round 1 will seek feedback on proposed changes to the Local Law and any ideas not captured (8 April to 6 May 2026).
- Round 2 will invite further thoughts and feedback on our Draft Local Law (14 September to 11 October 2026).
How you can get involved
Share your thoughts on the Local Law by Wednesday 6 May 2026. We encourage you to provide your feedback to help us understand what’s important to you. Feedback from the first round of consultation will help us take into account emerging issues and ensure the local law is relevant.
Visit www.conversations.merri-bek.vic.gov.au/local-law or attend one of the many in-person pop-ups.