Late Reports Agenda of Ordinary Council Meeting

Ordinary Council Meeting Agenda

24 June 2025

8 General Manager’s Report

8.1 General Manager Office

8.1.1 Stronger Communities Fund Round 1

DOCUMENT NUMBER

440841

REPORTING OFFICER

Roger Bailey, Interim General Manager

AUTHORISING OFFICER

Roger Bailey, Interim General Manager

RELEVANCE TO COMMUNITY STRATEGIC PLAN

4. Collaborative and progressive leadership

4.4 Recognised as a premier local government Council that represents and advocates for community needs

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no Financial implications associated with this report.

LEGISLATIVE IMPLICATIONS

There are no Legislative implications associated with this report.

POLICY IMPLICATIONS

There are no Policy implications associated with this report.

ATTACHMENTS

1. NCIF SCF - 2025 Variation Outcome Letter - SCF Round 1 ⇩

2. SCF R1 project funding reallocations 18.06.25 ⇩

Recommendation

That Council:

1. Note the correspondence from the NSW Office of Local Government (OLG) advising that its variation requests (extensions of time) under the Stronger Communities Fund (SCF) Round 1 for the Nangus Water Supply Works and the Gundagai Water Supply Extension Project (Dog on the Tuckerbox site) have been declined.

2. Seek approval from the NSW Office of Local Government to reallocate the SCF grant funds among remaining eligible SCF projects to cover over-expenditures.

3. Should point 2 above not be accepted by the NSW Office of Local Government, authorise the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and one other councillor to determine an alternative allocation to avoid returning any grant funds.

Introduction

Council has received correspondence from the NSW Office of Local Government advising that its variation requests (extensions of time) for the Nangus Water Supply Works and the Gundagai Water Supply Extension Project have been declined.

Council is now required to reallocate the remaining unspent project funding. A detailed reallocation breakdown and risk management plan must be submitted to the OLG by 30 June 2025, with any uncommitted funds to be returned to the OLG by 30 September 2025.

Discussion

Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council received $10 million under the Stronger Communities Fund (SCF) to deliver priority infrastructure and services following the 2016 merger of the former Councils.

The program included:

· Community Grant Program: Up to $1 million in grants of up to $50,000 for not-for-profit community groups.

· Major Projects Program: $9 million for large-scale infrastructure and services delivering long-term economic and social benefits.

The original program required SCF funds to be committed by 30 June 2019 and fully acquitted by 31 December 2019. Council was approved to fund the following projects:

· Gundagai pool tiling and disabled ramp

· Gundagai Pool refurb

· Gundagai Visitors Information Centre redevelopment - disabled ramp and disabled toilet

· Gundagai Netball Courts Masterplan - construction of lighting, storage & shelter

· Stephen Ward Rooms Outdoor Area construction

· Rathmells Lane - Bitumen seal from Temora St to end

· Footpath renewal

· Cootamundra pool - water park

· Fisher Park Cootamundra sports ground lighting installation

· Pool shade Cloth - Cootamundra

· Extension of Gundagai Water Supply to the Dog on the Tuckerbox site

· Nangus water supply works

· Stormwater mitigation works

· Cootamundra saleyards lighting and electrical upgrade

· Adjungbilly Road reconstruction for B-Doubles

· Cootamundra water mains replacement project

· Investment into Department of Education

· Construct public toilets - Sheridan St Gundagai

· Gundagai large scale adventure playground

· Cootamundra Rugby Club

· Community Grants

Important Note: SCF Round 1 must be acquitted as a whole, meaning Council cannot close out the program until all funded projects are completed.

The following projects remain incomplete:

· Gundagai Visitor Information Centre – accessibility upgrades

· Gundagai Water Supply Extension – Dog on the Tuckerbox site

· Nangus Water Supply Works

The first project listed above is nearing completion. However, the water supply projects remain substantially incomplete with no physical works having commenced, and Council cannot demonstrate that the funds are committed.

Council is now required to reallocate the unspent funds or be required to hand the monies back. In addition, Council is to provide a risk management plan for these two projects. These Risk Management Plans would include:

Risk Management Plans

Dog on the Tuckerbox – Water Supply Extension
Council has identified alternative funding sources for this project, which will allow it to proceed. Engineering designs are currently under review by NSW Public Works.

Nangus Water Supply Works
Nangus is a small village with 27 existing dwellings and a forecast to grow to 79. While the community has long desired a reticulated water supply, investigations indicate that the cost of providing treated water significantly exceeds the available funding, thus making the project unachievable.

Options investigated include:

· Cardno’s 2021 Report: Pipeline from GWCC water supply from Oura Road

· Treatment at the Town – Reservoir at location waste transfer station Location 1

· Treatment at the Town – Reservoir at elevation Location 2

· Intake – Reservoir at Location waste transfer station Location 1

· Option supplied by Goldenfields Water

All options exceed available funding, and even with adequate funding, construction would not be achievable within the required timeframe.

Financial

Council must now submit a revised funding allocation plan to the OLG by 30 June 2025. Any funds uncommitted by 30 September 2025 must be returned.

A number of SCF-funded projects have exceeded their original budgets. It is proposed that the unspent funds be reallocated from incomplete projects to cover these over-expenditures.

Council staff have consulted the OLG, who have verbally advised that this reallocation approach will be acceptable.

The attached spreadsheet outlines the proposed reallocation and includes:

· The original grant amounts

· Council’s original contributions

· Total project values

· Proposed reallocations (highlighted in yellow)

OLG 23a Guideline consideration

Does not conflict with guidelines.