Council Meeting Recap September 2026
Published on 29 September 2026
Upper Hunter Shire Council met on Monday 28 September 2026 to consider matters relating to Council leadership, community funding, regional infrastructure, financial sustainability, policy development and community facilities.
Mid Term Election - Mayor and Deputy Mayor elected
Councillors elected Cr Pat Ryan Mayor and Cr Peter McGill as Deputy Mayor. A separate Media release has been issued.
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor will hold office for the next two years, until September 2028.
Community Enhancement Fund applications
Six applications totalling $110,550 were recommended for support through the Goulburn River Solar Farm Community Enhancement Fund.
The recommended allocations are:
- Upper Hunter Where There’s a Will – $15,700 for a community film and dinner event and mental health first aid training
- Upper Hunter Shire Council – $30,000 towards heating the Merriwa Olympic Pool
- Merriwa Cricket Club – $10,000 for replacement cricket nets
- Merriwa Preschool and Activity Centre – $35,000 for flooring installation
- Merriwa and District Health Association – $14,850 for bookkeeping and financial management
- Merriwa Pony Club – $5,000 towards the purchase of a trailer
The applications were assessed against criteria including community benefit, local need, affordability, feasibility, value for money and long-term sustainability.
Liverpool Range Wind Farm update
An update from the Liverpool Range Wind Farm Community Consultative Committee covered construction staging, road upgrades, the grid connection, biodiversity offsets, environmental approvals and community benefit arrangements.
The project proponent advised the committee that construction was planned to commence in early 2027, subject to commercialisation, a final investment decision, financial close and the required approvals.
Committee members raised matters including impacts on local roads, workforce accommodation, quarry operations, water supply and the potential costs transferred to councils and local communities.
Federal Assistance Grant reform
A submission to the NSW Grants Commission was presented in response to proposed changes to the distribution of Federal Assistance Grants.
Under the proposed methodology, Upper Hunter Shire Council’s allocation would have increased by approximately $1.96 million when compared with the amount received in 2025/2026. This comparison includes an increase of approximately $1.37 million in the general-purpose component and $591,000 for local roads.
The draft submission generally supports the proposed methodology as a fairer way of distributing funding to councils with limited revenue-raising capacity and higher service-delivery costs.
It also seeks further consideration of natural disaster funding, the calculation of assistance for disadvantaged councils and the additional services regional councils are often required to provide, including airports, saleyards and childcare.
The submission calls for the revised methodology to be implemented in full from 2027/2028 rather than phased in over several years.
Financial performance measures
Feedback was also prepared for the Office of Local Government’s review of council financial performance ratios.
The submission supports financial measures that provide a realistic assessment of councils’ operating performance, liquidity, borrowing and long-term sustainability.
Among the matters raised are the treatment of depreciation and other non-cash items, benchmarks reflecting the greater reliance of rural councils on grant funding and a proposed two-month cash expense cover benchmark for rural councils.
It also supports using financial ratios in long-term planning and presenting three-year trends to provide a more stable assessment of council performance.
Policies reviewed
Updated policies covering town and village tree preservation, the naming of community facilities and commercial benefits, and external communications were presented for adoption.
The tree preservation and facility naming policies return following amendments requested in August. These include clarification around the removal of weeds by members of the public and a stronger position on sponsorship signage remaining on Council facilities when clubs are not using them.
A new Enforcement Policy was also recommended for public exhibition from 30 September to 29 October 2026. The policy is based on NSW Ombudsman guidelines and addresses Council’s approach to regulatory and enforcement responsibilities.
Regular use of the Old Court Theatre
Regular weekly use of the Old Court Theatre by the Scone Community Shed and Scone Seventh-day Adventist Church was proposed.
The Scone Community Shed plans to provide upholstery and furniture-restoration activities on Wednesdays during school terms. The Church is seeking to hold services and Bible study activities on Saturday mornings.
Under the recommendation, hire fees would be waived, subject to appropriate conditions. Both groups would be responsible for leaving the facility clean, replacing standard bathroom consumables and reporting maintenance issues to Council.
The arrangement aims to increase community use of the heritage-listed facility, which has received fewer than six bookings annually over the past two years.
Notice of Motion – firearm buyback scheme
A Notice of Motion calls on the NSW Government to abandon its firearm buyback scheme and redirect the funding towards rural healthcare and roads.
The motion also seeks greater recognition and funding for rural health services and proposes submitting the matter for consideration at the Local Government NSW Annual Conference in November 2026.
Notice of Motion – privacy at Council pools
A Notice of Motion raises concerns about technologies capable of recording photographs, audio and video without consent.
The proposal seeks to amend the Conditions of Entry at Council swimming pools to prohibit non-consensual recording using camera-enabled devices, including smartphones, body cameras and wearable technology such as smart glasses. It also proposes authorising lifeguards to remove visitors who record other people without permission.
Staff have recommended developing a policy that considers privacy, child safety, enforceability, and legitimate uses of assistive technology by people with disability.
Confidential matters
Following consideration in confidential session, Council reported the following resolutions in open Council.
Former water tank site – 47 Paradise Lane, Murrurundi
Council resolved to enter into negotiations, as outlined in the confidential report, with a view to entering into a contract of sale with the applicant.
Authority was delegated to the General Manager to perform all functions required under the contract.
7 Surman Street, Scone
Council resolved to sell 7 Surman Street, Scone following a competitive EOI process.
Appointment of internal auditors
Council resolved to engage Forsyths Business Services as its preferred contracted internal audit provider.
The provider will prepare a four-year internal audit plan and undertake three internal audits each year for the term of the plan.
For more details on other matters discussed, please refer to the meeting agenda available on the Upper Hunter Shire Council website, or head to our YouTube channel to watch the meeting.