19 February Council Meeting News Report
Published on 20 February 2025
Bathurst Regional Council held an Ordinary Council Meeting on 19 February 2025.
Below is a media release collation from the meeting’s business papers.
8.1.1 Ngurang Arts Residency NSW (BARN) Project Update – February 2025
Council has agreed to enter into a funding agreement with the Federal Government, or its delegate, to proceed with the Ngurang Arts Residency (BARN) as per the final project plan submitted to the Growing Regions Round Two application in September 2024.
With funding guarantees from both the NSW State Government (Creative Capital) and Federal Government (Growing Regions), Council has successfully secured $8,975,000 in grants to construct the Ngurang Arts Residency (BARN) facility at Chifley Dam. Neither grant requires matching funds by Council, with Council’s in-kind contribution being the Council-owned land at Chifley Dam. These grants provide sufficient external funding for all capital expenditure relating to the project.
No physical work has yet been undertaken on the chosen site and no tender process has commenced to select a construction firm. Thus, at the Ordinary Meeting of 20 November 2024, Council resolved to seek valuable community feedback on the desirability and viability of the Ngurang Arts Residency (BARN) project.
On 2 December 2024, 56 documents relating to the project were made available for download from Council’s YourSay site alongside a survey consisting of 11 specific questions, with an option to provide general comments. This survey was live through to 10 January 2025, with project information remaining accessible on the site post survey closure. Over this period, there were 458 survey responses completed, of which 428 (93.7%) lived in the Bathurst LGA.
In quantitative analysis (including additional written responses received), the survey showed 313 respondents (65.8%) opposed to the development and 160 respondents (33.6%) in favour, with 3 (0.6%) providing no response to this question. Diverse reasoning in opposition and support of the development was given, including the proposed location and operational cost, the contextual timing of the project, a need to support the arts community, and the potential to drive economic activity in the Bathurst LGA.
Council closely assessed the submitted responses in order to reach an agreed conclusion on how the project will progress.
8.1.2 Community Engagement Strategy 2024 – 2028
As part of the Integrated Planning & Reporting Framework (IP&R), Council is required to review its Community Engagement Strategy (CES) within three months of the election of a new Council.
The CES has been reviewed and updated in line with the Office of Local Government’s IP&R requirements and was released on public exhibition via Council’s YourSay page for community feedback. There were 136 visits to the project page during the exhibition period, with five responses submitted.
Across the five submissions, commentary was put forward regarding the strength and breadth of the strategy, the level of engagement methods considered, the importance of promoting good news stories, and the depth of implementation of the strategy.
Following the exhibition period and the consideration of the submissions received, Council’s Community Engagement Strategy is to be adopted and placed on Council’s website as part of the suite of IP&R documents. Further, following the adoption of the strategy, the previous Community Engagement Strategy Policy will be deleted from the Council’s policy manual.
8.5.2 Museums Bathurst – Ratepayer Vouchers, Six Month Review
Bathurst Regional Council has resolved to extend the Museum Voucher initiative trial for the 2025/2026 Financial Year to provide further data as to the effectiveness of the program and its ongoing implementation.
In July 2024, Council instigated a trial museum voucher program for the ratepayers of Bathurst, providing one free entry to each of the Council-operated museums: Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum, Bathurst Rail Museum, Chifley Home and Education Centre, and National Motor Racing Museum.
The program was designed as the next step in engaging and thanking the Bathurst community for supporting our world class museums. It was developed to encourage the community to visit our museums, and bring their friends and family along with an additional 10% discount for entry provided. The initiative also provided a 10% discount on purchases at each of the retail outlets. The vouchers were distributed to all ratepayers with the July 2024 rate instalment notice. 21,190 voucher sheets were sent out.
In the six months from distribution, from August 2024 to January 2025, 1,147 free-entry vouchers were redeemed across the museums, with 1,050 additional discounted entries. Further, 203 retail discount vouchers were utilised across the museums, with a resulting total gross sale amount of $10,457.73, excluding a total discount voucher value of $1,161.97.
Variability in monthly visitation over recent years, largely due to the cost-of-living crisis and downturn in domestic regional travel, makes analysis difficult. However, uptake year to date is clearly encouraging and demonstrates the value of the trial. Though the compounding value of word-of-mouth and return visitation will take time to ascertain, it is expected that an upcoming 12 monthly review will show a clearer picture.
The trial voucher initiative is recommended to continue for a further twelve months in the 2025/2026 financial year to continue to collect data. Issues of improved security will be explored, and an updated point of sale system will be implemented where possible. The initial results suggest that the voucher system has value to ratepayers and potential to further raise the profile of Museums Bathurst. A report will be prepared to Council following the conclusion of the initial 12-month period.
Media contact: Genevieve Green Media and Communications Officer