Bayside Council is a local government area in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
[3] It comprises an area of 50 square kilometres (19 sq mi) and in 2023 had an estimated population of 182,987.
It continued in use until 11 December 1888, when a new Town Hall was opened on the corner of Rocky Point Road and Bryant Street, Rockdale.
[16] A 2015 review of local government boundaries by the NSW Government Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal recommended that the City of Botany Bay amalgamate with the City of Rockdale to form a new council with an area of 50 square kilometres (19 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 153,000.
[22][23] With the proclamation of the majority of council amalgamations on 12 May 2016, the City of Botany Bay Council appealed the decision in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, thereby delaying the proposed amalgamation until a decision was made by the Court.
The Supreme Court rejected the appeal in early September 2016, and the Minister for Local Government, Paul Toole, moved quickly to proclaim the formation of Bayside Council on 9 September 2016, with the former administrator of Central Darling Shire, Greg Wright, appointed as the Administrator.
[27][28] The early period of the council was punctuated by revelations of the extent of issues inherited from the former Botany Bay Council, including an antiquated vehicle fleet costing millions of dollars to replace, and the legacy of ICAC investigations that uncovered the significant misappropriation of funds and fraud by former Botany Bay Council employees, which had led to 12 individuals being recommended for prosecution.
[29][30] The first mayor of Bayside Council, Bill Saravinovski, in particular noted that, "The legacy of the misappropriations and costs of remediation result[ed] in a net fund deficit of $17 million, placing Bayside Council at a significant disadvantage".
[56][57] In August 2017, Bayside Council selected its new logo via a public competition and vote, with Mascot resident, Ray Kurniawan's design winning.