Have your say to help shape the next four years in our community

Bega Valley Shire Council has developed a suite of key planning documents that will guide how Council services are delivered over the next four years and will hold community meetings to answer questions and receive feedback on the draft plans.

front of Council building on Zingel Place.

7 May 2025

The plans outline the projects, services and initiatives Council will focus on and how they will be funded.

Council’s CEO Anthony McMahon said we are one of many councils across NSW under real financial pressure, as we experience escalating costs in delivering services and maintaining infrastructure.

“We have had to make some difficult decisions in developing these plans. There are projects and services we know the community would like to see but they won’t come about as we simply can’t afford them,” Mr McMahon said.

“These plans have been shaped by what you have told us matters most and what we know needs to be invested now so it doesn’t cost us even more in the future, particularly when it comes to our road network.

“We are custodians of more than $2 billion in assets and it’s important when we plan, we consider the multiple generations who will fund and use these assets.

“In the next four years, Council plans to invest $325 million on asset renewals, upgrades and several new assets.

“We will deliver once-in-a-generation projects including a new organics processing facility, Merimbula Boardwalk, Bega Pool and significant water and sewer upgrades, among many others.

“It’s a sizeable investment, yet we know there is more that needs to be done and many of the projects we have planned won’t take place unless we secure competitive grant funding.

“Council has evolved its planning processes under the Integrated Planning and Reporting framework to focus on the role Council plays. This includes providing services and maintaining our assets, collaborating with various stakeholders to drive change and advocating for the community so other levels of government understand our unique needs.

“These planning documents help us make informed decisions about what we can afford and when, to keep services running smoothly, avoid running out of cash, look after the assets we have now and ensure future generations aren’t stuck with big asset and financial problems.

“We must be sensible, creative and focussed where every dollar is spent. We also need to ensure we get our fair share of state and federal grant funding to deliver projects.

“We encourage everyone to look at the suite of documents and let us know what you think.”

Community meetings will be held between 5pm and 6pm in Eden (The Log Cabin, 38 Maling Street) on Tuesday 20 May, Bega (Commemorative Civic Centre, Zingel Place) on Thursday 22 May, Merimbula (Club Sapphire, 119 Main Street) on Tuesday 27 May and Bermagui (Surf Life Saving Club, Lamont Street) on Thursday 29 May.”

The documents on exhibition are:

Draft Community Strategic Plan 2042 – builds on the previous plan and considers the information gathered from external engagement activities during February and March 2024.
Draft Delivery Plan 2025-2029 – details the services and projects Council will deliver over the next four-years, the result of rigorous planning, prioritisation and aim to provide best value services to the community across the whole shire.
Draft Long Term Financial Plan 2025-2034 – includes three options for the general fund that demonstrate the differing levels of services and projects that can be achieved aligned with the income needed to make it possible.
Draft Digital Services Strategy 2025-2029 – provides strategic guidance and direction for digital, data and technology investment to create a more efficient, resilient and digitally-enabled Council that thrives on innovation and sustainability.
Draft Workforce Strategy 2025-2029 – looks at the current needs of the organisation and considers what might be needed from our workforce into the future.
Draft Strategic Asset Management Plan 2025-2029 – sets out the broad framework for undertaking structured and coordinated management of Council’s assets.
Draft Revenue Policy 2025-2026 – outlines the proposed rating structure, pensioner rebates, borrowings, debt recovery, transfer of rates and supply charges for water, and sewer and waste services.
Draft Fees and Charges 2025-2026 – there are several proposed changes to the draft fees and charges for the next financial year.

To access the documents, provide feedback and check community meeting venues and times, go to the Have Your Say webpage.

Hard copies of the documents are also available for review at all Council libraries and the Customer Service Centre in Council’s Zingel Place building, Bega.

Feedback closes on Thursday 5 June.

Making an enquiry

All media enquiries and interview requests are coordinated by Council's Communication and Engagement team under the adopted Communications Policy. To view this policy, visit Public Policies and search 'communications'.

To submit a media enquiry or to request an interview:

email [email protected]
call 02 6499 2222

Councillors

Councillors can be contacted directly for enquiries regarding decisions of the elected Council and non-operational matters. Interviews with the Mayor should be arranged through the Communication and Engagement team contact details above.

Receiving information

If you’re a journalist or media organisation that would like to receive media releases and notifications about media opportunities, please email your name, title and contact details to [email protected] and we will add you to our distribution list.

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Contact Us

02 6499 2222
[email protected]
Zingel Place
PO Box 492
Bega NSW 2550
Monday to Friday 9.00AM to 4.30PM
Administration building Zingel Place Bega
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ABN: 26 987 935 332

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