Council meeting summary: September 2025
Published on 24 September 2025
Below is a summary of some agenda items and resolutions from the September 2025 Council meeting.
Please note, planning and development decisions are not summarised and should be read in-full via the meeting agenda on council’s website here.
Resolutions relating to confidential items can be found in the meeting minutes, generally available no later than 48 hours after the meeting.
Bank account signatories
Council has resolved to delegate bank signatories to current senior staff.
Motions for LGNSW Annual Conference 2025
Council has agreed to submit motions to the LGNSW Annual Conference, providing an opportunity to raise local issues on a state-wide platform and influence the advocacy priorities of the local government sector.
Motions adopted at the conference guide LGNSW’s policy and lobbying with State and Federal Governments, ensuring stronger collective representation for councils.
Councillors agreed that motions should focus on the following topics, including that:
- LGNSW continue to push for an increase in Commonwealth Financial Assistance Grants to one percents of federal taxation revenue
- LGNSW advocate against the proposed increase in water charges
- LGNSW call on the federal government to release and respond to the findings of the Inquiry into the closures of bank branches and agencies in rural Australia.
- LGNSW call on NSW Government to direct Essentially Energy to ensure equity of service via its network including those communities at the end of the network
- LGNSW to host a cross-border summit to identify and address anomalies including housing, health, education and service access.
This year’s conference will be held from 23–25 November at Panthers Penrith and Western Sydney Convention Centre, with motions due by 30 September 2025.
Membership to Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA)
Council has resolved to become a financial member of the Australian Local Government Women’s Association (NSW) at a cost of $275. Membership provides access to networking, professional development, mentoring, scholarships, conference hosting opportunities and voting rights within the Association.
Moama Lions retirement units - finalisation of loan funds
Council has resolved to reimburse $25,177.44 to the Moama Lions Community Village Committee of Management, recognising that this amount was repaid in excess of the costs actually incurred for design and development of the proposed additional retirement units at Council Street, Moama.
The project was abandoned in July 2023 due to cost escalations, and the loan funds were returned to Council.
Although the previous Council resolved not to make reimbursements, the new Council has acknowledged the Committee’s status as a Section 355 Committee and agreed to refund the excess repayments.
Adopted Policies
Council adopted the following policies, following a public display period. No submissions were received.
- Rates, Charges & General Debtors Write-Off Authority Policy V#1
- Modern Slavery Prevention Policy V#1
- Asset Disposal Policy V#1
- Public Interest Disclosure (PID) Policy V#4
Unaudited Financial Statements
Council received the Unaudited Financial Statements for the period to 31 August 2025 (FY2025/26). This monthly reporting practice by the Finance Team is not a regulatory requirement but is provided to ensure transparency and in keeping with financial reporting best practice.
The statements and summary are available as an attachment to the Council Agenda item 9.2.5.
Draft Policies on display
The following draft governance policies were adopted:
- DRAFT Councillor Expenses and Facilities Policy V#5
- DRAFT Councillor and Council Officer Interaction Policy V#3
The draft policies will be on public exhibition for a period of 28-days. These will be on council’s website in the coming week.
Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) Meeting minutes
Council received the Minutes of the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) Meeting held on September 1, 2025.
Minutes and resolutions can be viewed in full via the Council agenda, item 9.2.7.
Kyalite Hall decommissioning
Council will proceed with the decommissioning of the Kyalite Hall and associated assets, which have reached end-of-life condition and have been unused for many years. This decision aligns with Council’s 2024 Buildings Strategy, designed to ensure community infrastructure meets current and future needs.
The Section 355 Committee of Management for the Hall and Recreation Reserve was dissolved in November 2024. The Kyalite community has access to alternative facilities, including the Kyalite Pub function room, Tooleybuc Recreation Reserve Hall/Pavilion and Goodnight Hall.
Assets identified for removal include the Kyalite Public Hall, hall toilet block, tennis clubhouse and shelter, cricket nets and tennis court fencing.
Council undertook consultation with NSW Crown Lands, the Kyalite Progress and Recreational Reserve Association (now Kyalite Community Inc.), and the wider Kyalite community through signage, media releases and social media updates. No objections were received.
Demolition of the identified assets is expected to be completed by December 2025.
Goodnight Recreation Reserve and Hall Committee AGM and elections
The Annual General Meeting of the Goodnight Recreation Reserve and Hall Committee of Management was held on August 28, 2025.
General elections were held at this meeting, with advice of newly elected committee members received and endorsed by Council at its September meeting.
The Goodnight Recreation Reserve and Hall Committee is a Section 355 Committee of Council, tasked with overseeing the day-to-day management and operations of the local Hall and Reserve.
Section 355 Committee Reports
Each month, council receives meeting minutes from various Section 355 Committees.
These committees are delegated by Council to oversee the day-to-day management of facilities owned by MRC and provide advice about their ongoing upkeep. Council has 18 Section 355 committees that are made up of community volunteers.
The following meeting minutes were received for information this month:
- Barham School of Arts- August 2025
- Bunnaloo Recreation Reserve and Hall- August 2025
- Caldwell Hall - August 2025
- Koraleigh Recreation Reserve and Hall - August 2025
New Council-Related Development Applications Policy
Council has adopted a Draft Council Related Development Applications Policy, which will be on public exhibition for community feedback.
The policy responds to changes in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021, which require councils to have a formal conflict of interest policy when assessing development applications submitted by the Council, its staff or councillors.
The reform follows a 2019 NSW Ombudsman investigation that highlighted the risks of councils acting as both applicant and regulator, identifying the need for clearer processes to manage potential conflicts.
The draft policy sets out how Council will manage these situations, including publishing management strategies on the NSW Planning Portal when exhibiting relevant development applications. Submissions received during the exhibition period will be reviewed, with any substantive amendments presented back to Council before final adoption.
Funding acceptance deferred
Council resolved to delay acceptance of $1million of NSW Government funding via the Sustainable Communities Program (SCP) to investigate options for possible reallocation of the funding to a priority project in the Wakool Ward.
The initial allocation was awarded to the Moama CBD entry redevelopment project at 6 Meninya Street.
The SCP program aims to minimise the social and economic impacts of Australian Government water recovery measures on Basin communities by funding shovel-ready projects that can stimulate economic activity.
Local Heritage Fund
Council has approved $9,966.45 in funding under the 25/26 Local Heritage Fund for repairs to the veranda of a privately owned residence listed on Schedule 5 of Council’s Local Environmental Plans.
The Local Heritage Fund is supported by the 2025-27 Heritage NSW Local Government Heritage Grant Program, with a total of $13,000 available in FY26, comprising $6,500 from Heritage NSW and a matching $6,500 from Council.
The fund assists with conservation works, including labour and materials, for privately owned heritage-listed items. The latest funding round opened on 25 July and closed on 4 September 2025, with one application received.
Notices of Motion
Notices of motion are submitted by councillors for consideration. The following were raised at the September meeting:
- That Council support the Barham High School in Establishing a Country University Centre (CUC) and construction of an indoor sports centre.
Discussion: Council have been in regular liaison with the school regarding the multi-purpose centre and offering support to secure funding. The estimated project cost is over $5 million. Given the school’s limited capacity to contribute funding, it is expected that full funding will take some time to secure.
The school’s investigation into a potential CUC is noted and Council staff have made contact regarding this matter.
- That Council address and investigate the matter and lack of gravel pits within the LGA.
Discussion: This was addressed via a report previously made to council. Details can be read in full via agenda item 10.3. Additional conversations/investigations will continue on the matter of rehabilitating and reopening closed pits and the associated costs.
- That Council provide full costing and optioneering for a Noorong Road Flood Culvert.
Discussion: Council officers are progressing this issue raised by the Merran Creek Water Trust regarding culvert capacity on Noorong Road during flood events. The 2022 flood required the road to be cut to allow water to pass through. Flood modelling is needed to assess the problem and potential solutions, as the area sits outside the current Barham Flood Study. DCCEEW will provide access to its Murray Valley Urban Floodplain Model for this work. The Director will meet with the Trust on 30 September to scope the modelling and seek a quote for a consultant, after which funding options will be considered.
- That the CEO brings to a councillor workshop an analysis of council’s use and spend of external consultants.
Discussion: This will be discussed at a future workshop, as per the motion.