21 June, 2024

Operational Plan adopted

Gunnedah Shire Council has adopted the 2024/25 Operational Plan and Fees & Charges following a public exhibition period.

The Operational Plan details the works and services Council intends to undertake during the next financial year through responsible fiscal management of Council’s $56 million total operating expenditure and a capital works program of $25 million.

Gunnedah Shire Council is in a similar position to that of many NSW councils facing a poor financial outlook caused by a perfect storm of negative impacts resulting from natural disasters, high inflation, and legislative ‘cost-shifting’ by the NSW and Australian governments.
The current financial outlook for Gunnedah Shire Council is not financially sustainable and action is necessary to ensure that a sustainable path can be determined to support Council’s future.

To maintain current service levels and to grow requires an increase in revenue. Alternatively, no increase in revenue will see the need for service levels to decrease. To address this challenge, Council will explore all options available to it, including:

• Undertaking efficiency reviews;
• Reviewing project prioritisation to maximise Council's resources and funding opportunities; and
• Investigation options for a possible Special Rate Variation application.
In the 2024/25 financial year, Council will start a conversation with the community to discuss how we can maintain current service levels, address our growing infrastructure renewal backlog, support our current population growth projections and deliver on key infrastructure priorities. This conversation will be important in shaping the future of our region.

To view the Gunnedah Shire Council 2024/25 Operational Plan and Fees & Charges, visit www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au

Updated polices on public exhibition

Three Gunnedah Shire Council policies have been reviewed and are now on public exhibition.

They are: Draft Policy – Hardship; Draft Policy – Debt Recovery; and Draft Policy – Customer Service.

The Draft Policy – Hardship establishes guidelines utilised by Council in the assessment of hardship applications, while the Draft Policy – Debt Recovery provides a framework to facilitate the timely, efficient and effective recovery of money owed to Council. The Draft Policy – Customer Service ensures staff provide consistent, positive customer service across the organisation.

These policies will be on public exhibition for 28 days. To view them and submit feedback, visit www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au