Rarely A Dull Moment - Community Safety, Community Health, Seasonal Trading Policy Updated

Welcome back to our regular feature, Rarely a Dull Moment where we report on the highlights of City of Fremantle Council meetings and activities. We would have titled the feature Never a Dull Moment, but didn’t want to overpromise!

In 2026, we are very pleased to welcome Jenny Archibald to the RADM desk. Jenny will be well known to many Freo folk as a former Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillor of the City of Fremantle. Jenny brings a wealth of experience to her new role as our RADM reporter and we are sure many Shipees will look forward to her regular RADM reports.

Welcome readers to our RADM report for the Ordinary Council Meeting of 22 April 2026. An interesting evening covering a couple of significant 5-year plans (both deferred), and with no members of the public wishing to ask a question in public question time, it was straight onto the Petitions.

Petitions

Pooch owners, Rachel Glidden and John Turner of North Fremantle on behalf of several locals, presented a petition related to the City-wide Dog Exercise and Prohibited Areas Policy & Local Law Review. This review is currently open for public comment on the MySay section of the City of Fremantle website(https://mysay.fremantle.wa.gov.au/dog-policy-local-law-review). Taking the early opportunity to put their views forward, the petitioners promoted the idea that council consider using one of the smaller parks in the North Fremantle area for a fenced dog-off-lead area. Mayor Lawver indicated that the information from the petition should be discussed as part of the consideration of the policy and local law review as this process is already underway. The closing date for public comment is 22 May 2026, and the revised policy is expected to return to Council for consideration in late June 2026

Elected member communication

A busy couple of weeks with four elected member communications….Cr Mofflin (Chair of the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee) noted that the Office of the Auditor General (WA State Government) had tabled the financial audit results of 147 local authorities in WA, as well as those ranked as having “best practice”. Cr Mofflin noted that the City of Fremantle was “on the good list…and (this) should be celebrated by the City”. In fact, it was in the top band of the level 1 and 2 bands of local governments for best practice – definitely something that staff and elected members can be pleased with!

Cr van Dorssen reported of the Girls Festival of Community Football which was held on Saturday 18 April at the Hilton Park playing fields, noting that the event had more than 700 young players and an attendance of around 1800-2000 people, “it was so well organised and so impressive for girls’ football”…. “and with support from the City of Fremantle, Perth Glory, Fremantle City Football Club and many others”. She also added that all but one elected member from the City of Fremantle attended on the day and acknowledged the input of Cr Mofflin and former Cr Archibald who are both on the organising committee.

Cr Williamson Wong concurred with Cr van Dorssen’s comments, adding that “Cr Mofflin was at the grounds from 5.30am”!!

(It is noted by yours truly that both Cr Dorssen and Cr Williamson-Wong were there from 8am helping on the registration desk!! And it was one marvellous day of celebration for young girls!)

Mayor Lawver informed the meeting that the City of Fremantle had been granted $282,000 for the purchase and installation of rigging, lighting and sound equipment for installation in Victoria Hall. Great outcome – this will take the use of the hall to another whole level!

Now for the topical topics:

Two large plans were presented to Council – and in the end both were referred back – primarily to allow more time for elected member input.

Item C2604-15 – the Community Safety and Crime Prevention Plan 2026-2031

With the previous plan expiring in 2024, getting this one underway is timely. The Plan sets out actions, responsibilities and timelines and has been developed based on stakeholder and community engagement and statistics, and it proposes actions around three focus areas: Education, Outreach & Patrols and Crime prevention through environmental design. The plan was presented to Council for adoption following extensive public and stakeholder consultation. However, it was agreed by Elected Members that there was still more that could be considered prior to release for final community review.

Cr Williamson Wong commented that “I don’t think it is good form when we put the document out for consultation when we expect there to be somewhat significant changes…to endorse the plan to 2031 it needs to hit the mark….I am not sure this one does yet”. Mayor Lawver agreed, adding that “we could do more work” …“there is a lot of considering, a lot of exploring, a lot of investigating to be done on the action items.” Cr Clarke added “we need to get it right”, while Cr Mofflin noted “while we have 34 actions (in the plan) there is no indication as to what we think is the most important area”. He added that he would like to see what will “have the greatest impact and the greatest influence”. Cr Slaughter noted that while there were 34 actions proposed, only 4 are to be done in the first year and that the community wanted “action and enforcement”.

The Director of Planning, Place and Urban Development commented that while “we have limitations on the role of Community Safety officers, Fremantle has a big heart and we care about our people. But we are getting a lot of feedback that people are sick and tired of how the City is presented”. He also agreed that deferring the item to a workshop to achieve greater clarity was worthwhile. Cr Camarda likewise agreed, and so given it seemed all were in unison, he swiftly moved a deferral, seconded by Cr Slaughter – and it was approved unanimously.

Item C2604-16 COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLBEING (PUBLIC HEALTH) PLAN 2026-2031

Development of this plan is a legislative requirement of the Public Health Act 2016. As well as being consistent with the WA State Public Health Plan 2025- 2030, the draft plan integrates with the City’s Strategic Community Plan and supporting strategies. It is due by end June 2026 – which does put the pressure on a little. And while local health data demonstrates that while Fremantle residents experience high overall wellbeing, several significant challenges require coordinated action. These include lower-than-target immunisation rates, elevated suicide and self-harm rates, high levels of alcohol-related risk, visible homelessness and housing stress, and ongoing environmental health pressures. Like the previous plan, a great deal of work has also been invested here, but it was agreed by Elected Members that the two plans should be complementary, and more consideration could be given to the topic prior to sign off. Cr Slaughter again raised the issue of a lack of clarity on timelines and “how the plan will be effective…so that the community can know when to expect outcomes.” While Cr Williamson Wong noted that the State Government was seen as unlikely to support a supervised drug use facility, she felt that “we need to have this in the plan so that at least in 2031 we may have this”. Councillor van Dorssen said that both plans needed to be considered together and moved the deferral, seconded by Cr Clarke and it was approved unanimously. So lots of work over the next month or so!

And everything else

C2604-17 – an update was provided on expression of interest for Shop 11 at 7-9 South Tce, Fremantle – where no suitable long term tenant has been found to date. A new lease for the Fremantle Surf Life Saving Club (C2604-18) was granted – but only for 5 years on the grounds that should climate change compromise the City’s ability to deliver on the 21-year lease it may have legal implications. Cr Sullivan argued that we might find the “foreshore unsustainable into the future…that we are looking at the entire beach area and urban zoning behind it”….and questioned whether it “would be fit for purpose going forward”.

The updated Seasonal and Temporary Trading Council Policy(C2604-19) was approved with amendment – Cr Williamson-Wong added that that “the guidelines reference the “trial locations” section of the policy so that the community has greater visibility of this option under the Policy”. She also noted that this policy had produced “some pretty cool outcomes for the city”. The Fremantle Park Caretaker Agreement (C2604-20) was reported on along with various statutory reports.

Signed off at 7.28pm. Goodnight Freo.