Facing a $992,000 operating deficit, Central Darling Shire Council releases long-term financial plans for public input.

The Central Darling Shire Council is confronting significant financial challenges with a projected operating deficit of $992,000 for the 2025-26 financial year, following an extraordinary meeting held in Wilcannia last Wednesday.

Administrator Bob Stewart endorsed the council's suite of integrated planning and reporting documents for public exhibition during the brief eight-minute meeting, which opened at 9:00am and concluded at 9:08am.

The draft documents now available for public comment include the Operational and Delivery Plan for 2025-26, the Long Term Financial Plan covering the next decade, the upcoming financial year's Fees and Charges schedule, and the Workforce Plan for 2025-26.

Financial Concerns Mount

The substantial deficit comes despite the presence of capital grants, suggesting the council continues to face structural budgetary issues that have plagued many remote NSW councils in recent years. Financial Manager Kevin Smith and his team presented the draft Long Term Financial Plan 2026-35, which reveals the concerning financial outlook for ratepayers.

Local government financial experts have expressed growing concern about the sustainability of rural and remote councils across NSW, with many facing similar budgetary pressures due to limited revenue streams and extensive service areas.

Key Personnel Attend Brief Meeting

General Manager Greg Hill was present for the meeting, alongside Director of Shire Services Reece Wilson and several finance officials, including Kevin Smith, Uday Mamidala and Toni Maher. Operations Manager Thai Dang was also in attendance, highlighting the financial focus of the gathering as the council works to balance its operational requirements against the challenging financial outlook.

The meeting began with an Acknowledgement of Country delivered by Mr Stewart and included formal noting of the requirement for disclosures of interest, though no declarations were received.

Public Consultation Process

The plans will remain on public display for the mandatory 28-day consultation period, giving community members the opportunity to review the full financial details and submit feedback before the documents return to council for final adoption.

The next ordinary council meeting is scheduled for 28 May, when the plans are expected to be formally adopted following the public consultation period and any submissions from the community will be addressed.

Unique Challenges

Central Darling Shire, covering more than 53,000 square kilometres, is Australia's largest local government area by area, which presents unique challenges for service delivery and financial management in this remote region of NSW.