About Us
More than a million workers and visitors come to the City every day
Sydney is a vibrant, cosmopolitan, and accessible city with a diverse population, a rich history, world famous tourist attractions and an exciting calendar of international and local events.
The City of Sydney is the local government authority responsible for the central business district (CBD) and more than 30 suburbs or parts of suburbs within our boundaries.
In 2007, the City of Sydney asked residents and businesses what they wanted to see happen over the next 20 years and beyond. The result is a collective vision for Sydney’s sustainable development, called Sustainable Sydney 2030, which will make Sydney a green, global and connected city.
The city is fast becoming a leading environmental performer and our sustainability plan guides what we do. Sustainable development is not just about the physical environment, but about fostering Sydney’s economy, society and culture as well.
Visit Sustainable Sydney 2030 to learn more about our plan and how we are making it happen.
City of Sydney – our role
Welcome to the City of Sydney.
Our local government area (LGA) covers about 26 square kilometres of inner Sydney and extends from Sydney Harbour at Rushcutters Bay to Glebe and Annandale in the west, Sydney Park and Rosebery in the south, and Centennial Park and Paddington in the east.
The City of Sydney’s role is to provide services for our 176,255 residents as well as for the daily influx of workers and visitors. On any given day, Sydney’s population swells to more than a million with people coming and going to work and do business, shop, play, study, and see the sights.
The City of Sydney is also the main consent authority for new development in most parts of our LGA. Larger applications worth more than $50 million are considered by the Central Sydney Planning Committee of which the City is a member.
We meet the needs of our communities by providing essential services such as street cleaning, road maintenance, a network of libraries, approval processes for development, collection of recycling and waste, beautiful parks, playgrounds and gardens, and sports and recreation venues, including swimming pools.
We also encourage responsible pet ownership through our registration service and other services for domestic animals and their owners.
City of Sydney looks after the big picture too. We work with residents, government and transport operators to campaign for a high quality, integrated transport network and we take action by building cycleways, increasing open space for people and encouraging light rail. We partner with other groups and organisations to care for the natural and built environment, and team with police, businesses and communities to increase safety in the city.
We offer a range of services, programs, and projects to support the community and foster community-building. For example, the City operates activity centres for seniors and services for young people, as well as child care facilities. Our homelessness services help many thousands of people each year.
We have many grants, awards and competitions which are designed to invigorate our communities and help individual residents and groups.
The City works in partnership with business on many projects and has a range of awards and programs available for that sector. There are more than 20,000 businesses in the City and we work to support them through these awards and other services.
We are responsible for health policy, regulations and standards in the City and monitor food safety, public and environmental health.
Business and property owners help fund City of Sydney services, programs and projects through rates. Residential rates in the City of Sydney continue to be among the cheapest in NSW.
The City is committed to public consultation and ensures all major proposals are publicly exhibited to encourage community feedback. Members of the public are welcome to address council committee meetings and we regularly hold public forums to discuss specific issues.
Another part of the City of Sydney’s role is important on a national and international level. We act as a champion for Sydney and strive to advance and enhance its reputation as Australia's premier city. We do this by:
- Encouraging and fostering business excellence
- Delivering innovative design and urban renewal projects
- Producing, maintaining and supporting a range of public art projects
- Making sure the city’s many beautiful buildings, landmarks and heritage are preserved
- Funding major events in the city – such as the Sydney Festival, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, the Biennale and the Sydney Writers’ Festival
- Producing our own internationally acclaimed events such as Sydney New Year’s Eve, Art & About and Chinese New Year
- Promoting Sydney as a tourist destination and providing services for visitors, including maps, dining guides and information booths.
Your Councillors
The City of Sydney and all other councils in NSW operate within a legislative framework decided by the State Government.
The City’s ten councillors are elected for a four-year term by residents and ratepayers (business and property owners). The Lord Mayor is popularly elected.
Councillors make decisions on all key matters at council and committee meetings. Members of the public can address committee meetings and may also attend council meetings.
The City of Sydney consults the community and the opinions of residents, business owners and other interested parties are given great importance in the decision-making process.
Your City of Villages
Each village precinct has its own unique character.
The CBD is bordered by areas with their own unique character – including the Rocks, Surry Hills, Kings Cross, Darlinghurst, Glebe, Erskineville, Newtown and Redfern.
We think it's important to maintain the unique qualities and charisma of these village precincts and aim to foster the best possible standard of city living in each one.
Here we focus on delivering an appealing urban environment and state-of-the-art leisure, recreation and community facilities. Our community events encourage people to interact with their neighbours and explore their local area.
The City also runs various programs that make sure our most vulnerable and isolated residents are connected to services and their local communities.
City residents
Council values Sydney’s diverse communities and seeks to support all members to participate in a rich and rewarding community life.
The City of Sydney has one of Australia’s most ethnically diverse populations – almost half of our residents were born overseas and about 30 per cent speak a language other than English. The most common language spoken at home (after English) is Chinese, followed by Indonesian, Greek and Russian.
Council fosters a range of multicultural programs and initiatives, recognising the rich contribution multicultural groups make to city life.
The City is home to one of Sydney’s largest Aboriginal communities and council is committed to a process of reconciliation with traditional landowners. We also offer specific services and programs to Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders who live in the city.
We also respect and recognise the significant contributions of other groups that are well represented in our local government area – such as the City’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities.
While almost half of our residents are aged between 18 and 34 and there are proportionally fewer teenagers, children and older people living in the City of Sydney than in the rest of the Sydney metropolitan area, all our residents are equally important.
The City provides programs tailored to help over 55s keep enjoying a healthy, active, involved lifestyle. Our less active older residents receive support services to help them to continue living comfortably and independently at home.
We also offer a range of services to help young people and encourage their contributions to the city.
The City of Sydney is committed to being an inclusive and accessible city and we provide information and services to cater specifically to our residents, workers and visitors with a disability.
Housing for a diverse population is part of our Sustainable Sydney 2030 plan and we are finding innovative ways of creating affordable housing so everyone can enjoy the benefits of inner-city life.
At present, more than half of all City residents rent their home from the private sector; the remaining third own or are paying off their home and just over 10 per cent are public and community housing tenants. Not-for-profit housing for low to moderate income workers and social housing for our most disadvantaged residents will increase by 2030.
