Why do you need to get your pool or spa regularly certified?

New swimming pool and spa laws were introduced by the State Government in 2019 to enforce safety barrier standards and reduce the number of deaths by drowning among young children.

These laws require your private pool or spa to:

1. Be registered with your local council
2. Provide proof every four years that you're complying with existing safety barrier standards

You are responsible for ensuring your private pool or spa remains compliant at all times.

Get familiar with safety barriers and standards

What proof do you need to provide?

As a pool owner, you will need to get a registered practitioner (inspector) to inspect your registered pool or spa to confirm it is compliant every four years.

If your pool or spa is compliant, they will provide you with a Certificate of Compliance Form 23 which then needs to be lodged with us for record keeping within 30 days.

Find out who can inspect your pool or spa compliance on VBA's website

How much does it cost?

Contact your inspector how much they will charge to assess your pool or spa and issue the certificate.
We will only charge for the lodging of the certificate.

View our full list of fees.

How to lodge

Once you receive your certificate of compliance Form 23 from your inspector, you must:

• be the owner,
• lodge within 30 days and
• prior to due date.

Lodge now

What happens next?

After you lodge your certificate, you'll:

• receive a letter confirming we lodged your certificate and
• advising you of a new due date in 4 years.

Let us know if you are removing your pool or spa to no longer receive an advice letter.

Who can book a hard rubbish collection?

If you have a residential bin collection service with us, you can choose to have up to two hard rubbish or bundled branches collections (or a combination of each) per calendar year.

You can book:

• A standard collection (2m³)
  For a pile of 2m x 1m x 1m

• Or use both collections at once (4m³)
  For a pile of 4m x 1m x 1m

What items can and cannot be collected?

Hard rubbish collections are for unwanted household items. All items must:

 be lighter than 50kg (must be able to be lifted by two people)

 be no longer than 1.5m in length, and

 fit the description below.
 

How to book

You can book online using the 'Book now' button. 

Book now

How to cancel a booked collection

To cancel your hard rubbish booking, contact us by 5.00pm on the Friday before the week of collection.

When do I need to apply for a permit?

It is best to apply for a permit to keep an additional animal before you purchase or acquire the animal. Ensure you know the details of the animal and include these on the application.

All applications are reviewed and assessed on a case-by-case basis.

What is the cost?

Each permit application is $150.00 This is a non-refundable application fee.

Your responsibility and the law

The Domestic Animals Act 1994 places clear responsibilities on the owners of dogs and cats to ensure they are registered from three months of age and that they are securely confined to the owner’s property.

The Act also places a clear responsibility on the owner of an animal to ensure it does not create a nuisance to people or cause any harm. If you already own the animal, please ensure it is registered.  

How many animals can be kept on a property?

Check the below table to find out which animals you can keep on your property in Manningham. If the number is zero (0) you can not keep that animal. 

All animals kept on residential land must be owned by the owner or occupier of that property.

*All cats and dogs over the age of three months must be microchipped and registered with the Council.

When do I need a permit?

A permit is required for keeping additional animals on residential land.

Residential land includes:

• Land zoned as Low Density.
• Mixed Use.
• Residential Growth.
• General Residential.
• Neighbourhood Residential.

If you do not know the size or zoning of your land, visit the Department of Transport and Planning website or contact us.

Domestic birds

A permit under the Community Local Law is no longer required to keep domestic birds on residential land.  However, all birds must be kept in an appropriate manner that does not cause nuisance or offence and are confined to property.

Animal housing

Animal housing must be adequate and appropriate based on the type and number of animals kept, kept in a clean condition and placed in an area which does not create a nuisance.

Animal containment 

An owner or person in charge of an animal other than a dog or cat must ensure that the land used for keeping an animal or any structure for housing is:

• clean
• does not cause a nuisance to any other person
• is adequately fenced
• is kept free from rubbish or vegetation that could attract or harbour rats or vermin.

All animal food for consumption must be kept or stored in a vermin and fly proof container.

All animal waste must be removed so as not to be offensive or a nuisance to any other person.

Existing permits

Where a pet owner has an existing permit issued under the previous Local Law, this permit will remain in place on the land until the existing permit expires. Existing permits will be reviewed if there are concerns relating to nuisance.

What happens next?

Allow 10 business days for us to review your application and make contact with you.

An invoice will be issued to pay the permit application fee. No permit will be issued unless fee is paid.

When assessing applications, Council will consider:

• feedback from neighbouring properties. 
• the impact the animals will have on amenity.
• the welfare of the animals.
• other Planning Scheme requirements.
• prior history associated with animal keeping.

An inspection of the land will occur to ensure the site is appropriate for the number of animals.

You will be advised if a permit is to be issued.

The permit will contain conditions which you will need to comply with.

We use septic tanks for properties where sewerage is not available to dispose of domestic wastewater from toilets, bathrooms, laundries and kitchens.

What types of septic tanks need a permit?

All septic tank installations need approval. The type of approval depends how much sewerage your septic tank disposes per day.

For septic tanks designed to:

• dispose less than 5000L > apply for permit with us

• dispose of more than 5000L > apply for licence with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

When do you need to get the permit?

You must get a permit before any works to install or alter a septic tank system.

How much does it cost?

View our full list of fees (including installation and maintenance)

If your household has two or more children under four years of age in daytime nappies, you can apply to upgrade the size of your red lid garbage bin at a discounted rate.

You can upgrade to a 240 litre red lid garbage bin. 

The cost will be an adjustment to your annual waste service charge. See the discounted costs below. 

Discounted costs for upsizing your bin

Option A: $576.00 per year (discounted from $779.00)

 

 

 

 

If you already have a 240 litre yellow lid recycle bin and a 240 litre green lid FOGO bin and upsize to a 240 litre red lid garbage bin. 

Option B: $630.50 per year (discounted from $833.50)

 

 

 

 

If you already have a 360 litre yellow lid recycle bin and a 240 litre green lid FOGO bin and upsize to a 240 litre red lid garbage bin. 

Apply now to upsize your red lid garbage bin

Complete our online form to upsize your red lid garbage bin. 

Apply now

Your FOGO service

You can place food waste into your existing green lid bin as part of our Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) service.

Find out more