The Sporting Grounds Usage Policy and Sporting Grounds Allocation Policy establish a transparent, equitable, and sustainable framework for managing the high demand for Council’s sporting fields.

The new framework formally aligns field maintenance resources with usage tiers (Elite, Competition, Community) and uses an objective scoring matrix to prioritise seasonal hirers based on community benefit, efficient asset management, and compliance. This ensures assets are protected from overuse while maximising community participation and safety.

These policies were developed to create a robust and objective framework that directly addresses these issues by:

  1. Formally setting maximum sustainable usage hours for all fields (Usage Policy) in line with sports grounds standards.
  2. Creating a clear, single-season allocation process with formal appeal mechanisms (Allocation Policy).
  3. Implementing an objective, weighted scoring matrix to assess and prioritise competing seasonal applications fairly.

About the Sporting Grounds Usage Policy

  • Formalises an existing three-tiered field classification system (Elite, Competition and Community).
  • Mandates maintenance resources and maximum sustainable usage hours that can be strictly managed by tier to ensure protection of the fields and a high quality playing surface (eg. Elite: < 20 hours/week; Community: up to 40 hours/week).

About the Sporting Grounds Allocation Policy

  • Details the process for seasonal and casual bookings.
  • Sets application deadlines (example 14 September for summer season).
  • Outlines strict conditions of hire, including rules on floodlighting, subletting, and cost recovery for damage.
  • Includes an allocation scoring matrix that provides an objective weighted assessment for all seasonal requests. Applications are scored across four criteria: Community Benefit (40%), Efficient Asset Management (30%), Strategic Alignment (20%), and Compliance (10%), ensuring priority for high value and well governed community club.

Have your say

  • By completing the survey below by Monday 19 January 2026
  • By email to council@qprc.nsw.gov.au referencing "Draft Sporting Grounds Policies" in the subject line
  • By mail to PO Box 90, Queanbeyan NSW 2620