Tamworth, Barraba and Manilla auctions boost council budget, mayor Russell Webb says

Despite the sale of all properties, there will be a small shortfall to covering the amounts owed, a spokesperson for Tamworth Regional Council said.

"We are in a better place than we were before we started this process," mayor Russell Webb said.

A total of 39 properties were listed by council in July last year, but the number reduced to 11 in Tamworth and six in Barraba and Manilla by early February, as owners coughed up.

"I was very pleased to see that people had come forward and made arrangements to either pay or have paid what was outstanding," Cr Webb said.

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Up to 11 properties were auctioned and purchased in the Tamworth auction, and four made it to auction in Barraba and Manilla.

Hart Rural Agencies agent Christopher Atkinson said the auction at Manilla RSL Club went off without surprises.

"It's quite an odd sort of auction," he said.

Most of the properties were lots missed by solicitors in previous sales, and were made up of strips of land within other properties, he said.

Mr Atkinson said one lot did not get any bids, and was purchased by council.

To save on costs, council was recommended in a meeting last month to purchase any unsold properties.

A lot in Barraba sold for approximately $13,000, Mr Atkinson said.

"Which I think council would have been happy with," he said.

The money collected from unpaid rates goes into the general fund, Cr Webb said, which is dispersed across the spectrum of activities that council is involved in.

A report will be presented to council before June 30 to outline final costings, which are still to be determined.

The report will include details on the parcel of land purchased by council at the Manilla auction, and make a recommendation that council write off any remaining outstanding balances.

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