24 September, 2025
Rural and Regional Summit
Gunnedah Shire Council has resolved to write to the Premier’s Department requesting a Rural and Regional Summit in Gunnedah to include the themes of health, roads, crime, and disaster preparedness.
Council will also allocate a budget of $10,000 to cover the scoping of any expenses associated with facilitating the summit should the request be granted.
Motions for 2025 Local Government NSW Annual Conference
Councillors resolved to submit six motions for the 2025 Local Government NSW Annual Conference in late November.
Motion one stipulates that Local Government NSW advocate for untied funding mechanisms that empower councils to undertake necessary upgrades and design improvements for greater resilience against future disasters; and invest in smarter recovery and adaptation strategies at the local level by utilising existing data, flood mapping, and infrastructure risk assessment tools.
Motion two stipulates that Local Government NSW call on the NSW Government to: ensure that all hospitals situated more than 70 kilometres by road from a Group 1 Major Hospital are equipped with a compliant, functional helipad capable of supporting air ambulance operations; seek dedicated state funding for the construction, upgrade or repair of hospital helipads, focusing on rural, regional and remote communities; and recommend regular review and maintenance programs to ensure ongoing compliance, reliability, and safety of all hospital helipads serving communities located beyond the 70-kilometre threshold from a Group 1 Major Hospital.
Motion three stipulates that Local Government NSW call on the NSW Government to: endorse a statewide Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) framework consisting of two regionally administered agreements - Inland DAMA and Eastern DAMA - to support skilled migration where domestic supply cannot meet demand; support timely approval and variation of existing DAMAs to incorporate additional occupations and LGAs; ensure that DAMA administration remains regionally embedded, engaging local councils and stakeholders; and collaborate with the Australian Government to uphold concessional safeguards and ensure community-oriented settlement planning that recognises and respects regional values and aspirations.
Motion four stipulates that Local Government NSW urge the NSW Government Water not to supplement water supplies for Local Government Areas by transferring water from catchments outside their boundaries, where such actions could compromise the water security of the source region. Instead, LGNSW advocates for the exploration and funding of alternative water solutions—such as the construction of new dams, advanced water recycling technologies, and other sustainable supply options.
Motion five stipulates that Local Government NSW call on the NSW State Government to maintain essential services at rural and regional hospitals, including maternity, day surgery and emergency services.
Motion six stipulates that Local Government NSW request the NSW Government increase to the level required to sustainably maintain and improve to the appropriate standard the classified roads managed by Councils which contribute to the state significant freight task, the funding for the Regional Road REPAIR, Block and Supplementary grants.
Councillors to join assessment panel for Community, Sports grants
Councillors Tammey McAllan, Cameron Moore and Kate McGrath will represent Council on the assessment panels of the 2025-2026 Section 356 (Community and Sports) Small Grants Program. The program is currently open for applications.
Council also resolved that no further Section 356 further funding round be undertaken until the program is reviewed by Council in consultation with Council staff, outlining options which better target community support. The review will be undertaken by March, 2026.
The grants program is designed to support the work of local not-for-profit, charitable community and sporting groups and organisations.
Line marking, ‘Keep Clear’ area to be installed in Elgin Street
Line marking and a ‘Keep Clear’ area will be installed adjacent to the bus stop in Elgin Street, Gunnedah following Council endorsement.
The aim of the works is to separate bus movements and vehicle movements and to delineate the centre of the road to discourage queueing of turning traffic into McDonald’s.
The works were recommended by Council’s Local Traffic Advisory Committee after a resident wrote to Council regarding the congestion at the entrance to McDonald’s on Elgin Street during school drop-off and pick-up time, which also indirectly affects the Elgin and Conadilly streets roundabout.
The Council also endorsed the committee’s recommendation that a resident’s request for a pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Barber Street and Elgin Street was not warranted following an investigation; no further action was required; and that the customer be informed of the outcome.
Management of Gunnedah Memorial Pool Complex
Council resolved the following regarding the Gunnedah Memorial Pool Complex:
- That Council receive and note the report on the options for the management of the Gunnedah Memorial Aquatic Complex;
- That Council call for expressions of interest to operate the Gunnedah pool (Option 3);
- That the expressions of interest be considered by Council against the option of Council fully managing the facility (Option 2); and
- That Council continue to defer any action in relation to Council Resolution 2.3/25 (Gunnedah Memorial Pool Aquatic Complex Funding Agreements).
A service review of the pool complex operations was recently undertaken, identifying a range of options Council could consider for its future management. It means that Council staff will now undertake an expression of interest to determine if there is interest from private providers to manage the pool complex on Council’s behalf.
Staff will compare these submissions to an operating model in which Council directly provides all services at the pool, including swimming lessons, stroke development, squad sessions and exercise sessions. These types of activities are currently undertaken by external providers who hire space at the pool.
The pool complex requires a significant amount of funding from rates to operate each year – it has a projected operating loss of close to $1.6 million in the next financial year. Council is looking for ways to reduce the subsidy required from rates funding to operate the pool complex. This is in line with the $930,000 efficiency and savings target that the Council set at the start of this Council term as part of the Special Rate Variation approval.
National Carp Control Program
Councillors have endorsed in principle support for the funding and implementation of the National Carp Control Plan (NCCP) and its recommendations by the Federal Minister for Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry, the Hon Julie Collins MP.
The Australian Government began investigating the use of the Cyprinid Herpesvirus 3 (the Carp Virus) in 2016 after six years research by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) in the NCCP.
European Carp contribute to environmental degradation in the Darling Basin, reducing water quality and/or reduced abundance and diversity of native plant and fish species.
In response to concerns raised by councils and Local Government Areas across the Basin, the Murray Darling Association has prepared correspondence to the Minister for Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry, the Hon Julie Collins MP.
Caption: One of the six motions Council will submit for the 2025 Local Government NSW Annual Conference is focused on the provision of compliant, functional helipads capable of supporting air ambulance operations for all hospitals situated more than 70 kilometres by road from a Group 1 Major Hospital. Pictured is Gunnedah Hospital’s helipad, which has been out of action since February.
ENDS
For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100 or communications@gunnedah.nsw.gov.au.
