TRC Ordinary Meeting 9 May 2023 outcomes

Here is an overview of outcomes from Tuesday 9 May 2023 Ordinary Meeting of Council:

• Councillors agreed to reschedule the Ordinary Council Meeting scheduled for Tuesday 27 June to Thursday 29 June 2023 to allow Mayor Russell Webb and Councillor Marc Sutherland to attend due to a scheduling clash. 

 Councillors discussed and approved the motion to place the Draft Integrated Planning and Reporting Suite of Documents for 2023/2024 on public exhibition for 28 days, including drafts of ‘Our Annual Plan and Budget 2023/2024’, ‘Statement of Revenue Policy 2023/2024 and ‘Fees and Charges 2023/2024’, including the proposed amendment to the fee for the disposal of mattresses from $11 to $20. During the public exhibition period, the community will have the opportunity to read and provide feedback on the documents before they are adopted at the Ordinary Council Meeting on 29 June 2023. These documents outline Council’s proposed program of services and works for the next 12 months, in addition to Council’s budget and schedule of rates, as well as Council fees and charges. To have their say, community members can go to the MyTRC Online Community from Wednesday 10 May to Sunday 7 June 2023 at  https://haveyoursay.tamworth.nsw.gov.au. A number of pop-up information events will take place across the region during May and June.

• Tamworth Regional Council will deliver a modest cash surplus in the coming financial year but will be starting a conversation with the community about the “serious financial challenge” Council faces in the years ahead. While Council’s solid track record of good financial management has meant the organisation has been able to draw on its savings thus far, Council has limited options to increase revenue to address the widening gap between its income level and the growing costs of delivering essential services and infrastructure.
• To ensure Council’s plans for the Tamworth Adventure Pool are in a position to apply for future funding opportunities, Councillors tonight approved the allocation of $100,000 from the Regional Development Fund to enable preliminary design activities and planning approval applications to be undertaken. This initial design work will also ensure that the project is close to ‘shovel ready’ and will allow for more accurate cost estimates going forward. More information about this project is available at https://haveyoursay.tamworth.nsw.gov.au/tamworth-adventure-pool. Councillors also discussed the need to continue to prioritise the Tamworth Regional Aquatic and Leisure Centre in addition to the Tamworth Adventure Pool.
• Councillors approved access for Water Infrastructure NSW to undertake work on the existing Dungowan Pipeline, to ensure all properties currently serviced by the existing pipeline continue to receive water as the first stage of the new Dungowan Pipeline approaches completion. To provide water to properties that cannot be directly connected to the new pipeline, the construction plan is to install a smaller diameter pipeline (160mm polyethylene pipe) inside the existing Dungowan Pipeline.
• Councillors noted and received the minutes from 17 Section 355 committees across the region. These minutes included the disbandment of the Duri Tennis Club S355 Committee, with the functions of this committee to now be managed instead by the members of the Duri Progress Association S355 Committee, effective from 30 June 2023. 
• Councillors noted and approved the minutes from the Tamworth Regional Local Traffic Committee, which included the plans for the road closures which took place on ANZAC Day. The minutes also included the installation of No Stopping signage at several locations including Verdelho Drive within the Windmill Hill Estate Stage 7 to enable to development of an intersection, the intersection at Logistics Avenue and Northwest Avenue Westdale, and Lockheed Street Taminda to enable the unloading of deliveries at the Sign Shed business.