Council puts two visions for the coming year out on public display

Councillors voted to approve putting a raft of financial planning documents - including this year's two potential budgets - related to the 2024/25 financial period on public display, at a meeting earlier this week.

Councillors said this is the residents' best chance to shape the future direction Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) takes, by reading and making comments on the local government's annual budget, fees, charges, and delivery plan.

"The council will hear from the community over the next month, we'll take their comments on board as we have done in the past, and a decision will be made on the 25^th of June," Tamworth mayor Russell Webb told media the morning after the council meeting.

But some councillors are critical of TRC's approach to community consultation.

"Given the last lot of consultation, how much weight will be given to residents?" Cr Steve Mears said during the council meeting.

"It was quite abundantly clear from the last consultation - and this is coming from residents not from me - that their input was certainly not considered. It was considered trivial, 'only' 800 submissions and a near-3000 member petition."

Cr Webb responded to Cr Mears by saying the community consultation was "forensically examined" by state regulator IPART, who granted TRC the full 36.3 per cent rate rise it asked for.

Once the public exhibition period is over, the financial documents will return to councillors for final approval on June 25.

That approval will include the decision on whether to implement council's controversial 36.3 per cent special rate variation in full, which is expected to increase average residential rates in Tamworth by $485.21 over the next two years.

"I do hope people actually read through this document and ask questions if they don't understand," deputy mayor Judy Coates said during the council meeting.

"As a council we make difficult decisions, but we do actually make them with our community at heart, and I think people probably need to keep that in mind. We're not the enemy, we're trying to keep our council, our region, and our residents in an area that's progressing and maintaining services."

Multiple councillors suggested residents can look to friends, family, or even contact TRC for help understanding the 307-page financial documents.

Some of the major projects scheduled for the 2024/25 financial year include the Tamworth Regional Skywalk, detailed design work on the Tamworth Regional Aquatic Centre and Northern Inland Centre of Sport and Health, and the Port Stephens Cutting upgrade.

"To be quite honest with you, the 36.3 per cent is based on us being able to stay sustainable for the next 10 years. Of course part of that will be extra money for roads and infrastructure that needs to be upgraded," Cr Webb said on Wednesday morning.

Council's Our Annual Plan and Budget 2024/25 and all associated documents are now available on its Have your Say website.