Residents have one more week should they wish to have a say on Parkes Shire Council's 2026-2027 Draft Operational Plan and Budget.

The 305-page document which was tabled at council's April meeting is on public exhibition with submissions closing by next Thursday 28 May.

The draft plan details the services, projects, programs and events council proposes to undertake or continue in the next financial year.

The 2026–2027 budget has been prepared in what the report has described as "an increasingly constrained fiscal environment in which service demands and community expectations continue to grow, while revenue growth remains structurally limited by state-imposed rate-pegging and declining intergovernmental funding support".

For the 2026–2027 financial year, council is forecasting an operating income of $69.55 million, of which $33.6 million will be generated through general rates, and water and sewage access charges.

The NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal has set the rate peg for the next financial year which council has adopted and will see rates increase by 3.1 per cent. The rise is lower than what it was this year at four per cent.

Pensioners currently receive a $250 rebate that's jointly funded by council (45 per cent) and the state government (55 per cent), and council said it will pay an additional voluntary rebate of $105 per eligible property from 1 July this year for the 2026-2027 rating year.

Council's operating expenditure is budgeted to be $78.36 million, which will result in a deficit of $8.81 million.

"This is largely attributable to non-cash depreciation budgeted expenses of $27.74 million, a significant increase from $20.41 million in the previous financial year budget, reflecting valuing methodology imposed by the Office of Local Government," the report read.

Executive manager of finance Luke Nash said at the meeting the budget has been developed with a strong focus on maintaining council's short-term cash position and overall liquidity.

"So there's no material decline in unrestricted cash reserves anticipated for next financial year," he said.

"And that's on the back of an extensive review of our capital works program.

"In the current operating environment with rising inflation, cost escalation and ongoing supply chain pressures, it is important for council to maintain a very high level and discipline approach for our expenditure over the next 12 months.

"We're all well aware of the financial situation that we're currently in."

Council is proposing to undertake 450 actions in 2026-2027 with a total of $90.94 million allocated to the capital works program and $71.38 million to be funded through capital grants and contributions.

"It is also important to note that a portion of that program is still reliant on government grants," Mr Nash said.

Among the highlights in the program are $50.84 million to be spent on water security projects; a number of road projects including $2.9 million on the continued upgrades of the Peak Hill-Baldry Road; $5 million for the betterment program between Parkes and Trundle; $500,000 will be spent towards footpaths, kerb and guttering, and some storm water improvements; $120,000 for open space assets; a further $450,000 for the expansion of the Parkes animal shelter; and $760,000 as part of the Parkes Wetlands project.

Looking more closely at some proposed future works, though these are not committed, and are reliant on availability of internal funds and the provision of external funds.

There are proposals for council to work with GrainCorp and community groups to create a significant silo art loop around the Parkes Shire that highlights the unique character and charm of each town and village, and to work with HARS Inc to identify grant

opportunities for the expansion of the Parkes Aviation Museum.

Council is looking to extend the Peak Hill main street CCTV program, more upgrades to the Carrington Hotel in Peak Hill and Spicer Caravan Park, and to continue with the actions from the Middleton Masterplan such as the Fisher Street subdivision and land release, the old Parkes hospital subdivision and stage 2 of the Parkes Regional Airport Business Park.

And there are suggestions for a walkway with local sculptures at Bushman’s Hill, to create new and vibrant ‘celebrity’ public art in Parkes and Trundle (Elvis, ABBA, The Dish), and for a youth and community officer.

The Draft Operational Plan and Budget is available for viewing on council's website and hard copies are available at council's administration centre and the four shire libraries.

A report any submissions received will come back to council before the plan and budget are adopted in June.

Financial challenges not unique

The report outlined that the financial challenges are not unique to this council but "reflect a widespread and deepening structural issue across local government in NSW and nationally".

"The sector is facing sustained operating deficits, escalating asset renewal backlogs and declining real revenue, compounded by the withdrawal of once-recurring state and Commonwealth grant programs," the report read.

"For this council alone, the loss of over $8.13 million in capital funding from the most recent rounds of key programs has had a material impact on capital delivery and long-term asset sustainability.

"There is a clear and pressing need for coordinated, sector-wide advocacy to restore Commonwealth Financial Assistance Grants to their former benchmark of at least one per cent of total Commonwealth taxation revenue, providing local government with a stable, predictable and equitable funding base.

"Endorsement of the Country Mayors Association’s ‘Invest in Us – so we can invest in them’ campaign represents a practical and unified step toward addressing these systemic challenges in the interests of council, its community and regional NSW."