Mayor's Column: Community-led decision making

Published on 30 April 2025

Achieving genuine representation in community engagement remains one of the biggest challenges for Councillors and Council staff.

Families, business owners and residents across the valley are leading busy lives, and finding time to read a draft document, complete a survey, or make a submission often falls low on the list of priorities. Yet, local government has a major impact on daily life. It’s the most direct level of government to influence — and right now is a crucial time to get involved.

On Council’s Your Say Macleay website there is a section dedicated to the suite of planning documents currently on public exhibition.  The Delivery Program 2025–2029 outlines Council’s priorities for this term, setting a clear roadmap towards the long-term goals identified by the community. The Operational Plan 2025-26 details the specific projects, services and actions to be delivered over the next financial year.

There are 163 actions listed in the Operational Plan, divided among the focus areas of Environment, Economy, Community and Leadership. More than $130 million is proposed for capital works projects alone, with major investment into sewer and water infrastructure.

Also on exhibition are the draft budget, proposed rates scenarios, and the workforce management plan needed to deliver these outcomes.

There’s no denying these documents are detailed - and they must be as this planning framework is legislated and used by every Council in NSW.

Over the last week, we’ve met directly with community and ratepayer groups across the shire to gain important collective feedback on the plans. We’ve heard opinions and questions on the budget challenges, discussed the aging infrastructure and considered community visions for future investment.

The Integrated Planning and Reporting documents are on public exhibition until 13 May and I really encourage everyone to have a read. Even if you don’t make a submission, you’ll gain valuable insight into the breadth and complexity of Council’s work.