TRC Meeting 30th June 2025 outcomes

Council Meeting Update – 30 June, 2025

Here is an overview of outcomes from the Ordinary Meeting of Tamworth Regional Council on the 30^th June 2025:

• Councillors adopted the 2025/26 Operational Plan and Budget which sets out the service delivery, projects and works council will carry out in the coming year. There is a total consolidated operating expenditure of $181,916,234 with $147,406,581 the total consolidated capital expenditure to improve local facilities and infrastructure. Other Integrated Planning and Reporting documents including the Fees and Charges 2025-2026, Delivery Program 2025-2029 and Resourcing Strategy 2025-2036 were also adopted. The Ordinary Rate Policy for 2025-26 includes an increase of 15% from 2024-25 which is the second and final increase of the IPART-approved Special Rate Variation. The first year Special Rate Variation increase of 18.5% was adopted for implementation on 1 July last year.    
• One group of local residents may soon change their address without moving house after Councillors agreed to a Proposed Locality (suburb) Boundary Amendment between Daruka and Kootingal. To ensure locality boundaries are clear and easy to identify by the community, emergency and other services, it was proposed that Council extends the suburb boundary of Daruka to cover the entirety of Woonooka Road (which currently extends across suburbs of Daruka and Kootingal) and the side road of Comleroy Place (which currently sits in the suburb of Kootingal). All affected land owners have been consulted during the process, with all in support of the proposal. The amendment will now be sent to the NSW Geographical Names Board for approval.
• As part of its continued support for local NAIDOC Week celebrations, Councillors agreed to waive the fees for using Council-facilities for events. The Tamworth NAIDOC Committee will host seven events throughout NAIDOC Week, which runs from Sunday 6 July until Sunday 13 July, 2025, across several Council facilities. Given the importance of NAIDOC Week for the local Aboriginal community, and the social benefits associated with these events, Councillors agreed to subsidise 100% of the associated fees, which totalled $36,364. It is noted in the report that this year’s Fee Waiver Request is higher than the amount subsidised last year, due to the committee securing grant funding of $8,500 this year compared to $50,000 in 2024. A report to Council said “Council’s support for the recommended subsidy aligns with Blueprint 100 Focus Area 7, by supporting local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the preservation and celebration of their cultures. It also aligns with Council’s adoption of Closing the Gap and is part of Council’s commitment to advancing Closing the Gap goals within the Tamworth Region”.
• Organisers of 11 community-based events will receive a share of $30,000 in funding under the 2025/2026 Regional Events Marketing Support Program. Councillors agreed to support the recommended applicants which were assessed using a range of criteria including economic impact. A report to Council said this year the program was “prioritising support for new and emerging events, particularly those in greater need of exposure and those being held in outlying towns and villages”. The successful recipients – receiving between $1,000 and $5,000 - are Rise: Future Stars Pro-Am Fight Night; Tamworth Mountain Biking Festival - Triple Event Weekend; Kootingal Country Fair; ADAA National Grand Prix; Inter Schools Horse Extravaganza; One of a Kind Annual Fashion Parade; Back to the Bush Auto Festival; Nundle Twilight Christmas Market; Barraba Show; Q26 AQHA National Show and 2026 Bendemeer Colours of Autumn Art Show.

For more information, see the full reports at www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au/businesspapers