Council meeting update - 9 November 2021

Tuesday 9 November, 2021

Here is an overview of outcomes from tonight’s Ordinary Meeting:

 Council’s financial reports for the year to June 30, 2021 were presented to councillors tonight. The auditor’s report shows that the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a $2.3 million decrease in revenue due to significantly reduced airport fees and charges as well as reduced events income due to the unavoidable cancellation of the 2020 Tamworth Country Music Festival and other events. The report said a decline in the net operating result from 2019-2020 was “predominately due” to a loss on disposal of infrastructure totalling $10.4 million. The figures in the report represented the operations and financial position of Council on a consolidated basis being the General, Water and Sewerage Funds together with Central Northern Libraries.

 The schedule for Council meetings in 2022 was endorsed tonight including two meetings in January. Tamworth Regional Council does not usually meet in January, however the change is necessary due to the 2021 Local Government Elections being on December 4. The first January meeting on Wednesday January 5 is for the election of a Mayor and Deputy Mayor. There will be one meting only in October 2022 due to the Local Government NSW Annual Conference. The usual practice of meeting once in December due to Christmas will continue in 2022. The meeting schedule is published on Council’s website.

 Ten community representatives have been formally appointed to the Disability Access Working Group for a two-year term. They are Judy Coates, Isla Farr, Amanda Fisher, Fiona Hemmings, Danielle Northey, Ilonka Patkos, Catherine Rae, Geoffrey Talbot Sanderson, Dina Santos and Luke Wakely. They were chosen from 21 expressions of interest received from people with a diverse range of disability backgrounds including disability sector workers, disability transport workers and people with lived experience of disability. The purpose of the group is to guide, monitor and evaluate the development and implementation of the Disability Inclusion Action Plan. The group also provides strategic advice to Council about access issues to ensure that the Tamworth Region offers an enhanced quality of life and prosperity for people with a disability, in line with Council’s Blueprint 100.

For more information, see the full reports at www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au/business-papers