Fairer fees proposed in Draft 2026-27 Budget and Operational Plan

28th Apr 2026

A fairer and more equitable change to the way water and sewer access charges, and user-pay waste charges, are applied is being proposed as part of Council’s Draft 2026–27 Operational Plan, Budget and Fees and Charges.
At its Ordinary Council Meeting held on 22 April 2026, Council endorsed for public exhibition a suite of documents that outline the projects and initiatives designed to deliver on the community’s aspirations. These include:
• Draft Operational Plan
and Budget 2026–27
• Draft Revenue Policy
2026–27
• Draft Fees and Charges
2026–27
• Long Term Financial Plan
2026–27 to 2035–36
The most significant proposed changes relate to the Long-Term Financial Plan, including the introduction of weight-based charging at the Armidale Waste Management Facility. Weight-based charging provides a more accurate and transparent method of calculating fees using certified weighbridges, removing the guesswork associated with estimating waste loads.
In addition, Council is implementing best practice water and sewer management in two stages across FY2026/27 and FY2027/28 and is proposing a fairer and more equitable approach to levying water and sewer access charges across residential and business categories. Under the proposal, both water and sewer access charges would be applied based on the size of the meter servicing each property.
Armidale Regional Council Mayor Sam Coupland said the proposed changes align with best practice and deliver a dual benefit, improving fairness across Council’s charging structures while ensuring sufficient financial resources are available to maintain existing water and sewer infrastructure.
“Currently, the way our water and sewer access charges are applied is essentially a one-size-fits-all approach,” Mayor Coupland said.
“For far too long, residential water and sewer customers have been paying the same access charges as larger business users. We are proposing to change these so customers with larger diameter pipes pay more for their service. Customers that use more, pay more.”
Customers using the Armidale Waste Management Facility will also be required to sort their waste prior to arrival, with proposed fees and charges varying by waste type.
“Customers will also be given the option to sort waste on site and weigh waste types separately if they wish to reduce their charges,” Mayor Coupland said.
“These proposed changes are consistent with state, federal and international best practice for sustainable waste management and support the accurate reporting of waste tonnages to the NSW EPA.”
The 2026–27 financial year is a pivotal one for Council and the community. The proposed budget has been prepared to consolidate Council’s significantly improved financial position while laying the foundations for future growth and development.
Council’s long-term vision is to retain future generations in the region and attract new residents, supporting sustainable population growth. This growth is critical to achieving the scale required to unlock major infrastructure investment from all levels of government.
A strong and resilient financial position underpins Council’s ability to deliver on this vision. The 2026–27 Budget builds on the financial improvements achieved in 2025–26, ensuring Council is well placed to support community priorities, invest in essential services and plan confidently for the future.
The Suite of budget documents are available to view on council’s Your Say Armidale online engagement hub for 28 days from Thursday 23 April to Wednesday 20 May 2026. Hard copies are also available to view in the Armidale and Guyra customer service areas of the council buildings.

Going strong for 100 years

Phone	(02) 6779 2347
Email	Contact Us
Social

Fairer fees proposed in Draft 2026-27 Budget and Operational Plan

Menu

News

Contact