LOCAL GOVERNMENT

With over 100 years’ working closely with the local government sector, Harwood Andrews‘ local government team appreciates the challenges associated with local Councils delivering on economic, social and environmental benefits to the community in the long term. 

As local governments balance the need to advocate for local issues and deliver on customer service expectations while ensuring decision-making is informed, transparent and reasonable, we partner with council's advising and advocating on planning and environment matters and broader governance and local laws matters. 

It’s this deep understanding and pre-eminent industry experience that sees us advise Councils in the areas of: 

• Statutory and strategic planning. 

• Environment. 

• Planning enforcement and prosecutions. 

• Preparation of development agreements. 

• Development contributions. 

• Transport planning. 

• Local government law. 

• Interpretation, variation, and removal of restrictive covenants. 

• Councillor conduct disputes and conflict of interest. 

• Freedom of information. 

• Clean up notices. 

• Pollution abatement notices. 

• Section 173 Agreements. 

 Our local government clients also benefit from the firm’s full breadth of practice areas including property law, employment, intellectual property and commercial transactions & advice.