TRC meeting report 16th Dec 2025

Council Meeting Update – 16 December 2025

Here is an overview of outcomes from the Ordinary Meeting of Tamworth Regional Council:

• Reports on the Draft Tamworth Region Structure Plans and the potential sale of the “Mechanics Institute’ on Brisbane Street were deferred until 2026, with Councillors citing the need for further information.
• Councillors tonight adopted the Draft Tamworth Regional Lands Strategy 2025, setting a long-term vision for rural lands across the LGA. The Strategy identifies eight focus areas and 28 actions to guide future land use, support local producers and industries, and ensure our rural lands remain diverse and productive now and into the future.
• Councillors have approved several recommendations made by the Tamworth Local Transport Forum. One of those approvals is for parking in the CBD to be free from 7am on Tuesday 13 January until 8.30am on Wednesday 28 January. While the meters won’t be turned off, they will instead show that you do not need to pay. Easypark will be the same. Where feasible, all other parking regulations will still be monitored by Rangers, including time restrictions and loading zones. The Forum also approved the closure of Peel Street between Brisbane Street and Bourke Street for part of the 2026 Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival.
• Councillors reviewed feedback about a proposed change to Commercial Developer Charges at the 26 August 2025 meeting. In a review of the 2018 charges and methodology, Councillors had moved to adopt Option 3 and move away from the current structure, meaning the change was put on public exhibition and required a peer review. All submissions received opposed the change, and the peer review confirmed water and sewerage rate payers would subsidise the non-residential development in Hills Plain and Arcadia. Councillors tonight resolved to adopt Option 3 and move forward with implementing the change which will see all non-residential development, no matter where it is located in Tamworth, pay the same unit rate for placing additional demand on Council’s water and waste water system, and existing water and sewer customers will make up the shortfall in funding as a result of this change.
• After a call for EOIs in September, Councillors tonight appointed 29 community members to represent their communities through the newly formed Tamworth Regional Precinct Advisory Committees. Two Councillors were also nominated for each precinct Committee. A further EOI process will be undertaken in early 2026 to seek nominations from areas that have had modest responses, specifically focusing on a call for youth representatives.
• Councillors approved the Annual Operational Plan budget variation reports for October and November noting a boost of almost $20,000 in lease income at the International Flight Training Tamworth facility, as well as grant funding for the Sports Dome lights and fans, and storm clean up to the value of $50,000 which is expected to be reimbursed by the Federal Government’s claim process. An additional authorisation request was included for $15,000 to develop a costed project plan to explore options for Ray Walsh House, accommodation for Tamworth office-based staff, as well as a new Visitor Experience Centre as resolved at the 23 September 2025 Council Meeting. Councillors also noted the Council Investments November 2025 report, pleased to see the portfolio performed above industry average within the reporting period.
• Councillors resolved to appoint real estate agents for the sale of two Council-owned two parcels of land on New Winton Road, Westdale. The assets have no strategic purpose for Council to retain and this determination was made prior to Council’s Commercial Property and Landholdings Activation Plan discussion at the 27 November 2025 Extraordinary Meeting. Details remain commercial in confidence at this stage of the process, however, proceeds from the sale will be used to pay Council loans.
• Councillors received and noted the minutes of the Central Northern Regional Library Annual General Meeting and Ordinary Meeting held on 5 November 2025 and approved Tamworth Regional Council’s 2026/2027 contribution. The meetings confirmed continued strong performance of the regional library service, key strategic and digital initiatives, and the adoption of an updated Local Studies Policy. Council endorsed the draft 2026/2027 budget based on a $13.39 per capita contribution, totalling an estimated $882,508.
• Councillors have agreed to continue sponsoring the National Cutting Horse Association Futurity event for the next three years. The sponsorship for 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29 will be $15,000 per year. The sponsorship will give the Tamworth region prominent branding exposure through venue signage, livestream coverage and marketing for the futurity event which attracted 3000 visitors per day, over 16 competition days in 2025, and generated in excess of $11.8 million into the Tamworth Region economy.

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