September Council Meeting News Report
Published on 18 September 2025
Bathurst Regional Council held an Ordinary Council Meeting on 17 September 2025.
Below is a media release collation from the meeting’s business papers.
8.2.3 INSPECTION CONDUCTED BY FIRE AND RESCUE NEW SOUTH WALES OF THE MANNING AQUATIC CENTRE, LOT: 702 DP, 9 ELIZABETH STREET BATHURST
Council has recently received a report from Fire and Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW) concerning an inspection carried out by their officers at The Manning Aquatic Centre. The inspection and report are undertaken in accordance with powers available to FRNSW under Section 9.32 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act. The purpose of the inspection being to determine whether or not the building has:
a. adequate provision for fire safety has been made in or in connection with the building, or
b. the fire safety provisions prescribed for the purposes of this section by the regulations have been complied with.
Council is required to present any such report received from FRNSW at the next available Council meeting and subsequently determine whether any fire safety order is warranted.
The report, located on Council’s website linked below, listed nineteen items identified during the inspection. Thirteen of these items are considered as maintenance issues and work should be carried out to bring these to compliance. The remaining six issues require further investigation by a suitably qualified professional to determine if upgrading of the building is recommended.
Following receipt of the Report, Council is arranging for the matters to be resolved between the facility manager, tenant and contractors.
8.3.7 LOCAL GOVERNMENT GRANTS COMMISSION - FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS AND SEWER LOAN TO GENERAL FUND
Council has noted the advice of the Local Government Grants Commission, NSW Government, on the estimated 2025-26 Financial Assistance Grant entitlement to Bathurst Regional Council and confirmed that the $4.5 million internal loan from the Sewer Fund to the General Fund is not repaid early; it is to remain payable over a 5-year period to help address Council’s cash flow issues.
Background: Sewer loans to General Fund
In May 2025, Council wrote to the Minister for Local Government seeking approval for an interfund loan from the Sewer Fund to the General Fund of $10,000,000. Council had previously received approval for a Loan of $25,000,000 for the year 2023/24. The OLG provided formal approval for a Loan of $5,000,000 on 27 June 2025, with Council noting at the 16 July Council Meeting an interfund loan of $4,500,000 was drawn down from the Sewer Fund.
The amounts that remain outstanding currently are $20,423,033 for the first Interfund Loan and $4,500,000 for the second, a total of $24,923,033.
Council remains limited as to its options to repay the Interfund Loans early whilst the review of its income and expenditure goes on. This is despite the upward trend in recent times in its land sales, from a total at 31 Dec 2024 of $1,404,000, to $6,464,900 in sales from 1 Jan 2025 to 30 June 2025, and $5,824,950 in the period from 1 July 2025 to 9 September 2025 (Contracts exchanged).
8.3.9 REQUEST FOR PART FEE WAIVER – BATHURST WALLABIES TRIATHLON CLUB
Council has received a request from the Bathurst Triathlon Club for part waiving of fees associated with the Club’s booking of the Harris Park precinct for the conduct of two events. The Club is investigating a new racing format and course options. This includes the running of a duathlon event (run, ride, run) at Harris Park. The Triathlon Club is able to cover the $300 Harris Park hire but is seeking a waiving of the toilet block charge of $525 per day.
Council has agreed to waive the fees of $1,050 associated with the Bathurst Triathlon Club’s hire of the toilet block facility at Harris Park, Mount Panorama for triathlon events on Sunday, 9 November 2025 and Sunday, 22 March 2026. The funding is to be provided from the Section 356 (Mount Panorama) vote.
8.4.2 WATER SUPPLY UPDATE
As at 2 September 2025, Chifley Dam was at 100.4%, with 30,224ML 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 100.3% on 2 September 2025, with 1,705ML in storage.
In Bathurst, the estimated residential water usage varies from week to week but currently remains below the target for Level 6 water restrictions. Over the last 4 weeks, the average estimated water usage for Bathurst is 7.5ML/d, or 98L/per person per day.
8.5.2 STAFF WELLBEING INITIATIVE - BATHURST MEMORIAL ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
Council has endorsed a staff wellbeing initiative, permitting Bathurst Regional Council staff member ticket pricing for productions at Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre.
Data from Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre (BMEC) has demonstrated that staff members of Council rarely attend the venue. It is also noted that live entertainment has been established to be a significant driver of positive wellbeing. Whilst Council offers staff physical health benefits such as subsidised gym membership, there are no comparable general wellbeing incentives.
It is proposed to extend the member ticket pricing already on offer at BMEC to existing customers, to staff of Bathurst Regional Council, without the need to purchase a membership. Additional BMEC member benefits, such as discounts on alcohol at the BMEC bar, would not apply.
The overall objectives of this initiative are to:
- assist in the wellbeing of staff within Council.
- increase the benefits of working for Council.
- increase visitation to BMEC by Council staff.
- increase overall ticket revenue for BMEC.
- increase advocacy for BMEC within the community by Council staff.
8.5.3 AMENDMENT TO REVENUE POLICY - MOUNT PANORAMA CORPORATE FACILITIES
As part of the recently prepared Mount Panorama Business Review, an evaluation of facilities and items available for hire at Mount Panorama was undertaken. This review identified facilities and items that had either not previously been made available for hire or had been provided at no cost. In addition, consultation with Council staff and feedback from clients highlighted the need to introduce new pricing options for specific facilities to make them more accessible for hire. To increase the opportunities for revenue at Mount Panorama, several new charges are recommended for inclusion in the Revenue Policy.
The proposed new charges are detailed below:
Pit Garage block (4 garages in one space) Half Day $760
Pit Garage block (2 garages in one space) Half Day $370
Single suite hire $250 Kitchen Hire – up to four hours $250
Winner’s Podium – up to 4 hours $300
Winner’s Podium – 4 hours and above $500
High Bar Tables small (4 seater) $30
High Bar Tables large (6 seater) $60
Tea & Coffee (per head) $3
Mustard Wall dividers $20
Basic PA $100 Pedestrian bollards (internal) $20
A frames (event signage) $25
Mount Panorama Lectern $30
Fridge hire (glass double doors) $100
VMS board for advertising per week $500
Additionally, Mount Panorama camping fees were reviewed. Currently, Council charges $378 for camping, alongside an event, for the Paddock Campground (270 powered campsites). Additionally, an event organiser must seek local approval via Section 68, which equates to an additional cost of $314. In total, an event organiser has access to 270 powered campsites for $692 GST inclusive.
It is recommended that Council keep this charge as a base rate, and request that the event organiser pay 15% of the campsite hire fee obtained, per site sold at their event. This will be monitored over the next 12 months to facilitate the development of a pricing regime.
Plus, further adjustments to the Mount Panorama facility hire fee are proposed, introducing increased discounts to certain user groups:
a) Schools and Universities- being a recognised and accredited institution – 30% discount on the facility hire items
b) Local Community Organisations, including sporting groups – non funded, non-professional organisation, where money raised is dispersed back into the community – 30% discount on the facility hire item
The discount is on facility hire only (rooms, garages, parklands, amenities) not on cleaning or security costs, administration fees or additional hire items such as tables and chairs.
Council has placed the amended Revenue Policy on public exhibition for a period of 28 days. If no submissions are received during this time, the revised Policy will be adopted. However, if submissions are received, a further report will be prepared for Council.
Media contact: Genevieve Green Media and Communications Officer