December Council Meeting News Report 2025
Published on 11 December 2025
Bathurst Regional Council held an Ordinary Council Meeting on 10 December 2025, the final meeting for the year. Below is a media release collation from the meeting’s business papers.
8.1.5 REALIGNMENT OF SUBURB BOUNDARY – KELSO AND LAFFING WATERS
The Bathurst LGA is divided into a number of suburbs with those suburb boundaries being adopted by Council and recognised by the Geographical Names Board. The existing suburb boundary between Kelso and Laffing Waters currently runs through the middle of one of the, as yet, undeveloped stages of the Marsden Heights Estate. This will create future complications where a number of individual lots and a number of roads are bisected by the current suburb boundary.
In order to avoid this situation, it is proposed that the suburb boundary between Kelso and Laffing Waters be realigned so that it is clear of the proposed lots and associated roads. Aside from the current owner/developer of the Marsden Heights Estate, no other private landowners will be impacted by the proposed suburb boundary realignment. The proposed new suburb boundary and details on the Marsden Heights Estate can be found in the report on Council’s website below.
8.2.5 DRAFT CODE OF MEETING PRACTICE
Section 360 of the Local Government Act 1993 requires Council to adopt a code of meeting practice that incorporates the requirements of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021. Council is required to adopt a Code of Meeting Practice within 12 months of a Council election, in this circumstance by the beginning of October 2025.
Councillors discussed possible alterations to the currently adopted Code, with proposed amendments to the Code placed on public exhibition in July and August 2025. During this time, 31 submissions were received. These 31 initial submissions will be considered as part of the overall exhibition of both documents when the report is presented back to Council.
However, on 29 August 2025, the Office of Local Government released an updated Model Code of Meeting Practice. This updated advice gave rise to a second stage of exhibition, as detailed below.
Among changes to the Model Code, mandatory provisions have been introduced to prohibit pre-meeting briefings. Councils must also livestream meetings of the council and committees comprising wholly of councillors from 1 January 2026 using an audio-visual recording. Recordings of meetings must be published on the council’s website for the balance of the council term or for 12 months, whichever is the later date. Following the Policy Meeting on 1 October 2025 which considered the matter, the draft, as exhibited, also included the requirement for members of the public to register to speak at the public forum.
The proposed amendments to the Code using the 2025 Model Code of Meeting Practice were placed on public exhibition during October 2025. As a result of this consultation, two further submissions were received.
Each of the proposed changes is outlined below.
1. Policy Meetings of Council to take place quarterly, instead of monthly
2. Duration of Public Forum, on any topic, limited to 1 hour however can be extended at the discretion of the Chairman
3. Live streaming of the Public Forum
4. Speakers at Public Forum limited to 4 minutes
5. Prayer and Acknowledgement of Country to remain in the Order of Business, with an acknowledgement to Service Personnel included in the April meeting only
6. Recording of votes on all matters
7. Registration of all speakers at a Council meeting
8. Minor administrative changes
Further details and the final recommendations can be found in the full Council Report below.
8.2.7 OUTSTANDING DEBTORS
Over the past five years, Council’s Rates and Annual Charges Outstanding Ratio has remained well below the Office of Local Government’s benchmark of 10%, reflecting consistent performance in revenue collection and debt management.
In comparison with other Councils in the Rural Regional Category and two neighbouring Councils, the rates and annual charges outstanding percentage over the past five years is as follows:
At 31 October 2025, the amount owing for rates and charges, including water, sewerage and waste, is $47.4million, of which $3.463m is outstanding (compared to $3.381m at 30 June) and the amount outstanding on all other sundry accounts is $2.773m ($2.764m at 30 June).
From the start of this financial year Council has issued:
Council continues to pursue the recovery of the amounts owed through its debt recovery processes. Council’s debt recovery is governed by the Local Government Act 1993 and Council’s own policies: Rates – Recovery of Rates and Charges, Rates – Accumulation of Rates by Aged Pensioners & Rebates, and Hardship Rate Relief (all attached for information).
Under Section 252 (3) (b) of the Local Government Act 1993, rates and charges are due on a quarterly basis. The due dates for each quarter are 31 August, 30 November, 28 February and 31 May each year. A ratepayer may approach Council and seek an arrangement to finalise the rate account. Recovery action will only apply to those ratepayers who have not made arrangements to finalise their rates, or who have defaulted on an existing arrangement. Council’s policy has also been to exclude aged pensioners from any legal action as per the current Policy – Accumulation of Rates by Aged Pensioners & Rebates.
Section 712 (1) of the Local Government Act 1993 provides that proceedings for the recovery of a rate or charge may be commenced at any time within 20 years from the date when the rate or charge become due and payable.
All legal costs and expenses incurred in recovering outstanding rates and charges shall be charged against the property in accordance with Section 605 of the Local Government Act 1993.
Note that all outstanding Rates and Charges are recoverable when a property is sold. For this reason, outstanding rates are never treated as bad debts because they will be collected eventually.
8.3.2 WATER SUPPLY UPDATE
As at 25 November 2025, Chifley Dam was at 99.4%, with 29,910ML in storage. Chifley Dam had been close to capacity or overflowing for 53 months until mid-March 2025. Since mid-June the dam storage levels have returned to full capacity or overflowing.
Winburndale Dam was at 92.5% on 25 November 2025, with 1,572ML in storage.
In Bathurst, the estimated residential water usage varies from week to week but currently remains at or below the target for Level 6 water restrictions. Over the last 4 weeks, the average estimated water usage for Bathurst is 9.2ML/d, or 120L/per person per day.
8.4.3 KELSO CLEAN UP – NOVEMBER 2025
Council partnered with Birribee Housing and Housing Plus to deliver a successful Community Clean Up Day on Friday 14 November 2025. The initiative was supported by Bathurst Local Aboriginal Land Council, Homes NSW, Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council (Mirganha and Wattle Tree House) and Wahluu Health Aboriginal Corporation.
The Clean Up Day resulted in the removal of 11.67 tonnes of waste (mostly household items) and 43 mattresses collected for disposal. Birribee Housing, Housing Plus and Council provided ten large skip bins across Kelso, West Bathurst and South Bathurst to enable residents to dispose of unwanted household items easily and safely, reducing the risk of clutter within homes and preventing waste from entering public spaces or being illegally dumped.
A community BBQ was provided for residents, community members, support staff and volunteers on the day. A bike repair station was also offered, allowing community members to have bicycles assessed and repaired, promoting sustainability and active transport.
The initiative has demonstrated strong partnerships as well as social, environmental and safety benefits for tenants, residents and the broader Bathurst Community.
8.4.5 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (DV) SAFE PHONE INITIATIVE
At the 17 September 2025 Ordinary Council Meeting, Council resolved to:
- Establish one or more donation collection points at Council locations such as BMEC, the Library, etc., so that community members can donate their old mobile phones to be collected, repaired and distributed to domestic violence victim-survivors;
- Donate Council-owned mobile phones whenever they are replaced and decommissioned;
- Encourage Council staff and community members to consider donating their old personal mobile phones; and
- Promote the initiative among local organisations and agencies who provide support to victim-survivors of domestic violence and encouraging them to consider becoming an agency partner if they are not one already.
Following these recommendations a review has since been undertaken, and Council will register with DV Safe Phones and collection boxes will be purchased and located at the Civic Centre and Bathurst Library. Council will be responsible for the purchase of the boxes and postage costs to return donated phones to DV Safe Phone, a low-cost initiative that provides support and safety to victim-survivors of domestic violence. The location of the boxes will be added to the nationwide partner map. It is noted that additional collection boxes are currently located at Bathurst Police Station and Bathurst Motor Group.
DV Safe Phone will accept all donated mobile phones. They have trained technicians that follow strict data and sanitisation procedures.
Implementation of the initiative will commence in February 2026. The initiative supports outcomes within the Bathurst Community Safety Plan 2023-2028.
Media contact: Genevieve Green Media and Communications Officer