Draft Integrated Planning and Reporting 2026-2027

Council is required to develop long, medium and short-term plans that detail how the community’s vision, aspirations and priorities will be delivered via projects and services using the IP&R Framework to strengthen the linkages between community aspirations, financial capacity and practical service delivery.

We invite you to have your say on any or all of the draft documents using the feedback form below:

• Draft Combined Delivery Program 2025-2029 and Operational Plan and Operating Budget 2026-2027
• Draft Statement of Revenue Policy 2026-2027
• Draft Fees and Charges 2026-2027
• Draft Revised Long Term Financial Plan 2026-2036
• Draft Revised Asset Management Strategy 2026-2036

Submissions close at 11.59pm Monday 18 May 2026

A brief synopsis of each document is below:

Combined Delivery Program 2025-2029 and Operational Plan and Operating Budget 2026-2027

The Delivery Program (DP) is the four-year statement of commitments to the community from the elected Council. It details the principal activities and objectives that will guide Council to prioritise actions towards achieving the community’s priorities and goals as set out in the Community Strategic Plan.

The annual Operational Plan (OP) has been designed to enable a better understanding of the costs of Council services and how well Council delivers the projects and services it is responsible for. The OP is divided into the service areas of Council and contains 121 actions that directly align with objectives from the DP. Each service area identifies key outputs for the year and the level of service to be delivered within allocated budgets.

The draft expected operating result for the 2026-2027 financial year is budgeted to be a deficit of $6.7 million (consolidated) before capital grants and contributions. This outcome is attributed to several underlying factors:

• Higher employee costs, driven predominantly by mandatory award-based wage growth and the transfer of some staff costs from capital projects.
• Higher depreciation, reflecting the ongoing growth of Council’s infrastructure, including new assets such as the Aerodrome and the Multipurpose & Evacuation Centre.
• Reduction in internal income due to fewer capital projects requiring internal cost recovery.

Draft Statement of Revenue Policy 2026-2027

Outlines how Council will raise income to support its operations and community needs. This is achieved through a mix of sources, including rates, grants and contributions, fees and charges and other income such as interest on investments.

The Draft Revenue Policy includes a proposed rate pegging of 3.1%, as set by the Minister for Local Government

Draft Fees and Charges 2026-2027

Sets out the fees that Council may charge and recover for services and programs it provides. It has been prepared by assessing each fee for cost recovery and cost base increases.

The fees and charges are made up of fees provided under relevant legislation, fees determined by Council and recommendations from the Local Government Association of NSW.

Generally, where permissible, the majority of Council’s Fees and Charges have increased by the CPI of 3.2%, with the exception of water, sewerage, and waste annual and user charges, which have increased by an additional 3.5% in line with Council's Financial Sustainability Plan.

Changes of note in this year’s 2026-2027 Fees and Charges include:

Revised Draft Long-Term Financial Plan (2026-2036) - The Draft Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) is an important part of Council’s strategic planning process. The LTFP is where Council projects the financial realities of its ability to contribute to the community’s vision for the future. It outlines the pressures and economic drivers behind Council’s expected long-term future. Expected growth rates are aligned with community expectations of service delivery and community projects and the social outcomes outlined in the Community Strategic Plan. The LTFP must be for a minimum of 10 years and is updated annually in line with Council strategies. It extends on the operational budget contained within the Operational Plan for 2026-2027.

The LTFP is based on prudent and consistent financial assumptions, with revenue growth largely driven by a 3.1% rate peg and CPI-linked increases to fees, charges, and user revenues.

Revised Draft Asset Management Strategy (2026-2036) - Council's Draft Asset Management Strategy sets out the framework for the lifecycle management of Council's physical assets and takes into consideration the “whole of life” approach which includes planning, procurement, construction, operation, maintenance and disposal of the asset. A key, ongoing issue facing local governments throughout Australia is the management of ageing assets in need of renewal and replacement.

The revised 2026-2036 Asset Management Strategy has been updated to incorporate financial data as at 30 June 2025, with all figures and analysis revised accordingly.

Key changes include:

• Addition of a fencing asset class, increasing the total number of asset classes from 13 to 14.
• Reclassification of retaining walls and earthworks as “retaining structures,” as earthworks do not depreciate and have therefore been removed from the asset management plan.
• Increase in roads asset replacement cost from $187k to $388k following the transport revaluation undertaken in 2024-2025.

Important information regarding your submission

Written submissions may be attached to the public report that is submitted to Council, unless you explicitly request you do not wish this to occur. They are subject to the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 and the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act (PIPPA).