Griffith City Council will vote on new policies around Australia Day awards and community grants

Community Grants will see the cap dramatically lowered, from a maximum of $4000 to a new cap of $2500, although the quick turnaround grants will see the cap lifted from $1500 to match it at $2500.

Meanwhile, grants for individuals to represent NSW or Australia at significant events will see a maximum of $500 for state representation at a national level - lifted to $750 for national representation at an international event.

Council will also advertise applications just once, rather than twice in a calendar year as previous.

Rather than following an assessment matrix to determine success of individual grant applications, that decision will go to the Community Development staff at council with a final decision made by the Senior Management Team.

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In addition to the grant policy, the council has added clearer selection and eligibility criteria for Australia Day awards - including restricting any posthumous nominations for awards. In addition to clarification on who is eligible and ineligible, the selection committee will see some changes.

For starters, the general manager will no longer sit on the panel - replaced by the deputy mayor or a nominee. Additionally, a representative of the Wiradjuri community will be required on the panel.

The selection panel for the sports awards has not seen any mandated panel inclusions, instead putting panel selection entirely in the Sports Council's hands.

If councillors approve the drafts at the August 23 meeting, the policies will go on public exhibition for 28 days in order for the community to provide feedback and comment before they are revisited.

Council will vote on the drafted policies at a meeting on August 23. The meeting will be livestreamed through Griffith City Council's facebook page and is open to the public.

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