Glen Innes Severn Council has endorsed key strategic plans to articulate the community’s priorities, deliver Council services, facilities and maintain assets and importantly to ensure the financial sustainability of Council and the growth and prosperity of the Glen Innes Severn region.
At the Ordinary Council Meeting this week, councillors endorsed a number of strategies and plans that will be discussed with the community through a comprehensive Community Engagement Program – “Shaping Tomorrow”.
Among ensuring that the community is aligned with the future plans Council will gauge ratepayers’ sentiments on the various scenarios in consideration of applying to the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) for a Special Rate Variation (SRV) for July 2026.
Council’s budget faces significant pressures and that like many other Council’s in NSW Glen Innes Severn is faced with an income gap, with costs increasing at a greater rate than revenue. This imbalance is projected to grow over the coming decade.
A number of factors have culminated in the need for an SRV, the fact that the rate peg set by IPART has not kept pace with rising inflation and other growing costs. Other impacts are the increased cost of wages, scarcity of contractors and materials, reduced available grants and funding, cost shifting from state and federal government and the Federal Assistance Grants (FAGs) of only 0.54 per cent instead of 1 per cent.
Mayor Margot Davis said the situation has been compounded by state and federal governments increasingly shifting financial responsibility for items such as roads and infrastructure onto local councils without sufficient funding.
“It’s a situation afflicting councils right around NSW, with close to 40 having applied for an SRV in the past four years. This is a long-term problem that needs a long-term solution. Our General Fund has been in deficit since 2021 so it’s well overdue to address this challenge.”
“We know this is a difficult conversation—especially at a time when the rising cost of living is placing real pressure on households. No one wants to see rates increase. However, achieving long-term financial sustainability is vital if we are to continue maintaining our infrastructure, delivering valued services, and planning for a stronger future,” Cr Davis said.
As a result, the Council is now asking the community for feedback on the following SRV options.
• Managed Decline (rate increase limited to just the yearly rate peg): The cumulative rate peg increase is estimated at 9.5 per cent over three years as follows, 3.5 per cent rate peg for 2026/27 and forecasted rate pegs of 3.0 per cent for 2027/28 and 2028/29. Council will implement the Service Review Program and the Review of Waste (domestic and non-domestic) pricing, Water and Sewer Costs and Pricing Strategy. This improves the General Fund’s operations by reducing the deficit from $6.1 million to $4.7M. These strategies alone will not fully resolve operating deficits or a decline in cash reserves.
• Sustainability Scenario: A cumulative permanent SRV (including the rate peg) of 55.49% applied over two years as follows; 28.5 per cent (rate peg + SRV) in 2026/27 and 21 per cent (rate peg + SRV) in 2027/28.
• Growth and Prosperity Scenario: A 61.75 per cent cumulative permanent SRV (including the rate peg) over 2 years applied as follows; 31.5 per cent (rate peg + SRV) in 2026/27 and 23 per cent (rate peg + SRV) in 2027/28.
• Growth and Prosperity Scenario: A 68.50 per cent cumulative permanent SRV (including the rate peg) over 3 years applied as follows; 26.5 per cent (rate peg + SRV) in 2026/27, 20.0 per cent (rate peg + SRV) in 2027/28 and 11.0% in 2028/29 (rate peg + SRV). With this increase, Council can have a modest surplus to deliver a Growth and Prosperity Program that delivers health, housing, parklands and township improvements across the region and importantly, plans for economic growth into the future. This is Council’s preferred scenario.
Videos from a financial expert further explaining Rates, Financial Sustainability and SRVs are live for the community to view – they explain the how and why Council needs one and how it will affect ratepayers can be viewed at: https://haveyoursay.gisc.nsw.gov.au/shaping-tomorrow
The Shaping Tomorrow Community Consultation period will run until 6 June 2025. There are a number of ways people can participate:
1. Online Submissions
Visit GISC’s Have Your Say page at https://haveyoursay.gisc.nsw.gov.au/shaping-tomorrow
2. Hard Copy Submissions
Hard copies of the draft documents and the SRV survey will be available at:
o Council Administration Offices at Town Hall
o The Glen Innes Severn Public & TAFE Library
o Australia Post: Emmaville and Deepwater
3. Community Information Sessions
Members of the community and other interested persons, organisations and agencies may attend an in-person session to ask questions and provide feedback:
o Emmaville War Memorial Hall: 5th May 5pm – 7pm
o Glen Innes Town Hall: 14th May 5pm – 7pm
o Deepwater School of Arts Hall: 27th May 5pm – 7pm
4. Virtual Information Sessions
For those unable to attend the in-person Community Information Sessions, they are welcome to join the virtual sessions:
o 6th May 5:30pm – 7pm (via Teams)
o 15th May 5:30pm – 7pm (via Teams)
o 28th May 5:30pm – 7pm (via Teams)
At the conclusion of the community engagement period, Council will review the feedback received and determine whether to proceed with an application for an SRV.
A decision will be made at the Council meeting scheduled for 19th June 2025.
If Council decides to move forward, it will notify IPART of its intent to lodge an SRV application in February 2026. If Council decides to proceed with the application in February 2026, residents will have the opportunity to provide feedback directly to IPART as part of the formal review process.
They can visit IPART’s Have Your Say page for more information: https://www.ipart.nsw.gov.au/Home/Reviews/Have-Your-Say.
Further information detailing the SRV options are all available at https://haveyoursay.gisc.nsw.gov.au/shaping tomorrow
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