July Council Meeting News Report
Published on 17 July 2025
Bathurst Regional Council held an Ordinary Council Meeting on 16 July 2025.
Below is a media release collation from the meeting’s business papers.
9.2.6 COMMUNITY HERITAGE PLAN 2025-2029
Council has approved the adoption of the Bathurst Region Community Heritage Plan 2025-2029 and its Implementation Plan.
Council, at its meeting held 16 April 2025, resolved to exhibit the Draft Bathurst Region Community Heritage Plan 2025-2029 (the Plan). The Plan was exhibited from 17 April to 20 May 2025. During this period, Council received 28 submissions. A summary of the submissions is provided in the full report on Council’s website.
Some key concerns that arose from the submissions include:
The majority of submissions are in support of the Plan. The issues raised have been able to be resolved via amendments to the Plan, and/or via responses in this report.
In the development of the Draft Community Heritage Plan 2025-2029, Council sought to hear from a wide range of stakeholders and undertook a range of consultation activities, including:
- A survey that reviewed the outgoing plan, Heritage Plan 2021-2025, from 2 September 2024 to 4 November 2024. 102 survey responses were received, which is considered a good outcome for the Bathurst Region.
- A Community Consultation Workshop on Tuesday 19 November 2024, 5:30pm. In total, 56 people attended the workshop, with a good representation of members who are and are not associated with a heritage group.
- A workshop with the Youth Council. To expand Youth contributions in future, Council has proposed to now involve local educational establishments, not limited to the Youth Council, which could include local schools, TAFE and CSU.
- Additionally, Council met with the Bathurst Local Aboriginal Land Council, Wiradjuri Cultural Care Corporation and Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation as part of the consultation and development phase.
The Draft Community Heritage Plan 2025-2029 includes an Implementation Plan that outlines the steps that the community can take to be more involved. These steps are voluntary. Council sought to provide the tools and information for the community to be engaged, and to encourage community members to share information with their friends, family and followers.
All submissions and workshop responses have been considered and the Draft Community Heritage Plan 2025-2029 and its Implementation Plan have been amended in response to the range of matters raised, where appropriate.
9.2.8 DRAFT VILLAGES STRATEGY 2025
Council has approved the exhibition of the Draft Villages Strategy 2025 for a minimum period of 28 days.
As part of Council’s ongoing commitment to the region’s villages, Council has drafted the Villages Strategy (the Strategy). The Strategy aims to guide Village development and management within the Bathurst Region and establishes strategies under four strategic priorities.
The strategic priorities of the Villages Strategy align with those adopted under Council’s new Community Strategic Plan (CSP) and also responds to the Planning Priorities contained in the Bathurst Local Strategic Planning Statement. It provides the detail as to how Council, the community, State Government agencies and volunteer organisations might meet strategic priorities through a range of proposed objectives, strategies and their associated actions.
An invitation to participate in the strategy consultation held on Tuesday 25 February 2025 was extended to the list of village associations. The workshop was attended by 24 people, representing the villages of Hill End, Sofala, Trunkey Creek, Rockley, Sunny Corner, Perthville, and Peel. The Strategy is underpinned by feedback received from these community consultation efforts. This foundation is essential to understand what the Strategy represents and aims to achieve.
It is acknowledged that the issue of rural cemeteries has not been identified as a specific strategy or action item in the draft Villages Strategy. The regulatory changes to the way in which cemeteries are to be managed were largely communicated outside of and after the Villages Strategy engagement. Addressing this, a meeting focusing on the future of our rural cemeteries has been scheduled for Tuesday 19 August 2025 from 2-4pm at Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre.
It is proposed that accountability for the actions in the Village Strategy will be reported annually for each village. Each 12-monthly review will correspond to the cycle of village meetings organised by Council. The village meeting’s agenda will be able to be organised in line with the Strategy’s actions. Importantly, the Village meeting process will enable Council and each Village community to identify key priorities for action under the Strategy for the next 12-month period.
9.3.6 CODE OF MEETING PRACTICE
Council has resolved to place the draft Code of Meeting Practice on exhibition for a minimum of 28 days and receive a further report following the public exhibition period to consider submissions.
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. Discussions have been held as to possible alterations to the currently adopted Code.
A summary of proposed alterations, for which Council is seeking community feedback, is as follows:
1) That the Policy Meeting (clause 3) be removed from the regular schedule of meetings
2) (a) Public Forum held prior to the Ordinary Meeting will be structured so that speakers at the Public Forum may speak on any topic relevant to Council operations. The forum is to be limited to 1 hour duration, but can be extended at the discretion of the Chairperson.
(b) Consideration has been given to live streaming the Public Forum. The proposal will be subject to further consideration, including legalities, costs and additional research.
(c) Currently speakers are allowed five minutes to address Council, with one minute warning sound at four minutes. It is proposed this will be altered to a four minute speaking allowance, with a warning sound at three minutes.
(d) Regarding the Policy Meeting and the General Business section, discussion was held on what mechanisms could be utilised in the future. Inclusion of a session in the Ordinary Meeting has been initially assessed but would appear not to be appropriate. The Business paper Agenda must include details of all matters to be dealt with.
3) With respect to the Order of Business, a new statement of acknowledgement has been proposed. By way of example;
“We honour those who came before us – the First Australians, the settlers and convicts who built its foundations, the generations who shaped our towns and cities, the brave who fought to protect our freedom, and all who now call this country home. As we meet today, we do so in service to our community, and in the spirit of shared responsibility and respect.”
4) That all individual votes be recorded in the minutes of the meeting. The alteration would be at Clause 11 and would read as;
“All voting at Council meetings, (including meetings that are closed to the public), must be recorded in the minutes of meetings with the names of Councillors who voted for and against each motion or amendment (including the use of the casting vote), being recorded.”
5) A clause adjustment in response to the use of Mobile phones and the unauthorised recording of meetings:
“Councillors are encouraged to limit any use of mobile phones during council meetings.”
6) Other alterations are generally for minor legislative updates, numbering, or typographical errors.
9.4.1 WATER HARVESTING STAGE 2 – FUNDING FOR DESIGN
Stage 1 of the Water Harvesting project is currently being constructed. This project is estimated to increase the secure yield of the Bathurst Town Water Supply by 1450ML.
An application was made to the National Water Grid Fund (NWGF) to allow the design, documentation and approval of Stage 2 of the Water Harvesting project. Applications were required to be endorsed and submitted by the State Government’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW). The first part of the application was for $1.4M of funding, on the proportional funding basis of 50:25:25 Australian Government: State Government: Council. The second portion of the grant was for a further $13.6M in total for the construction of the project, bringing the total project value to $15M.
Council was advised by the NGWF of the success of Council’s application, providing a total of $700,000 of Australian Government funding. Since that time, Council has been discussing funding options with the State Government for the NSW State Government’s contribution.
Council applied for State funding through the Safe and Secure Water program but has recently received advice that its application was unsuccessful. Whilst Council has been encouraged to apply for a further State Government funding round, it is Council’s view that this will incur further delays to improve the Secure Yield of Bathurst’s Town Water Supply.
In previous year’s budgets, Council had allocated funding for water security studies, which were returned to the Water Capital Reserve since this funding was not spent. The Water Capital Reserve contains approximately $9.8M.
The Bathurst Town Water Supply still does not have sufficient capacity to provide a secure yield to service the needs of Bathurst. For this reason, Council needs to continue to develop improvements to the secure yield of Bathurst, to provide an adequate supply during drought and to allow for the city to grow.
Council has approved the recommendation to progress the detailed design, documentation and approval process for the Water Harvesting State 2 project, by allocating a total amount of $700,000 to be funded from the Water Capital Works Reserve, and commence negotiations with the Australian Government to finalise the funding deed for the design of Water Harvesting Stage 2.
Media contact: Genevieve Green Media and Communications Officer