What do I need to know?
The removal of the Town Improvement Levy means approximately $500,000 in rates revenue will be redistributed across all rateable assessments in the Local Government Area, via an $143 additional base rate charge.
Ratepayers within the Town Improvement zone will no longer pay the levy and will instead receive the $143 charge as per everyone in the LGA.
The redistribution may result in a reduction or slight increase to your rate assessment depending on if you are located in the zone or not.
- 4 x Free tip vouchers per rate assessment (excluding Business)
- One Free Tip Day
- Continued operation and running costs of the transfer stations at Black Springs and Burraga
- Installation of a weighbridge at the Oberon Waste Facility. This will enable enhanced monitoring of waste and amended operations based on tonnage instead of volume.
Regional Roads - $1,568,300
Local Unsealed - $1,690,720
Local Sealed - $3,147,582
Urban - $130,000
Oberon Fitness Centre extension Stage 2 - $560,363
Oberon Sports Complex - $500,514
Sewage Treatment Plant - $11,587,500
Annual Budget Projection: - $193,620 (Deficit)
Staff are forecasting a deficit position for the annual budget. Several factors have contributed to this forecast such as increasing costs of materials, mandated employee wage increases, additional audit requirements imposed by the Audit Office, Local Government Election costs and removal of the Emergency Services Levy rebate by the NSW Government which equates to approximately $140,000.
Council will diligently look for grant funding and other cost savings throughout the year to ensure residents continue to receive the quality of service currently provided.
❓ Did you Know?
Rates Revenue contributes approximately 28% to Council’s overall budget. The majority of the budget is reliant on State and Federal grants to deliver the array of services expected by our community.
Rating Structure Adjustments: Removal of the Town Improvement Levy
After a lengthy community consultation process, Council resolved to discontinue the longstanding Town Improvement Levy and redistribute this component of the rating revenue across the entire Local Government Area. This decision was undertaken to ensure the equity and outcomes of the rating structure are relevant for our community and more efficient allocation of resources and projects across the Local Government Area.
How does this impact me?
Increased Budget allocation to Roads Maintenance
A key consideration for the review and removal of the Town Improvement Levy was the ability for Council to have more discretion in allocating resources and projects across the entire Local Government Area. In FY24/25 Council reviewed the responses to the 2023 Community Survey, where an overwhelming majority indicated a preference for Council to relocate budget to sealed and unsealed roads maintenance.
In response Council has allocated an additional $460,000 to Roads Maintenance (Sealed & Unsealed). This funding will bolster roads maintenance across the entire network with benefits for Urban and Rural ratepayers.
Have we got this right?
While $460,000 has been placed in roads maintenance in accordance with the community survey, other project priorities have been highlighted for consideration. Would you consider reducing this road maintenance spend to fund other initiatives?
• Additional Council Plant and Equipment
• Village Fund Expansion (Black Springs, Burraga, O’Connell)
• Expanded Weed Spraying
• Climate Initiatives
• Guardrail Programs
• Abercrombie bridge warning system
• Causeway upgrade program
• Free tip program (Black Springs, Burraga)
• Waste Incentives
• 1 – 2 km new road seal each year
• Road intersection upgrades
Waste Operations and Fees
Council continues to assess opportunities to minimise our waste footprint and plan for the changing nature of waste and net zero targets mandated by Government. In response some fee increases, and operational changes should be noted for FY24/25.
🗑️ Waste Operations included for FY24/25:
While best efforts have been undertaken to ensure fees are affordable and in accordance with CPI, Council faces rising costs involved in disposal, recovery and overall waste management. As a result, 10 existing fees have increased by more than 10%, with the two largest increases applied in tyre and mattress disposal.
Item | 2023/2024 Fee | 2024/2025 Fee | % Increase |
Whole Tyres – Truck/4WD | $15.00 | $30.00 | 100% |
Mattress / Lounge | $20.00 | $40.00 | 100% |
It should be noted the revised fees in these categories only cover 50% of the cost incurred to Council to process Mattresses, Tyres and Lounges.
More Details on Fees and Charges:
Residents will notice both tonnage and volume-based charges in the fees and charges statement. These have been included in anticipation of the weighbridge installation. To ensure a smooth transition from volume to tonnage pricing, a cap on charges has been included to minimise price escalations. More details can be found in the fees and charges document.
Major Projects
Council will continue to deliver a variety of maintenance, renewal and infrastructure projects across the year. A summary of expenditure is highlighted below.
ROADS EXPENDITURE - $6,536,602
Oberon Council's Road network includes: 2x State Roads and 4x Regional Roads. The remaining network is local roads consisting of sealed and unsealed roads.
🏦 INFRASTRUCTURE - $12,648,377
Comprehensive Land Use Strategy (Review)
Council will develop a Comprehensive Land Use Strategy (CLUS) for our Local Government Area over the next 18 months. The CLUS 2041 will be the cornerstone of Council’s strategic land use documents that will set the direction and management of key land uses of the Oberon Local Government Area. The key land uses are Residential, Industrial, Commercial, Agriculture and Tourism and these will be considered against our ecological, aesthetic, and economic environments to ensure sustainability, adaptability, and resilience into the future. The CLUS 2041 will involve considerable community engagement, so please lookout for information and engagement opportunities throughout the year.