Ordinary Meeting of Council - 21 July 2026

Topics

• Yarraman residents press Council for local customer and visitor centre
  A 403-signature petition has put a proposed Yarraman customer service and visitor information centre before Council, but the meeting record only confirms that the petition was received.
  Residents are seeking closer access to Council services and a facility that could support local tourism and volunteering.
• Meringandan subdivision faces community opposition over lot sizes
  Council received a 94-signature petition opposing a proposed Meringandan subdivision and seeking a minimum 667-square-metre lot size.
  The petition highlights a live planning dispute over housing density, growth and the future character of Meringandan.
• Council approves planning-scheme variation for Glenvale site
  Council approved a preliminary approval to vary the Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme for a Glenvale development site, subject to conditions.
  The decision may shape future development outcomes at a major site along Drayton Wellcamp Road.

Decisions

• Planning-scheme variation approved for Glenvale
  Council approved preliminary approval application MCUI/2025/7307 to vary the Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme 2012 for 300 and 390 Drayton Wellcamp Road, Glenvale, subject to conditions.
  The decision enables the next stage of planning for development at the Glenvale site.
• Fluoride dosing approved for Greenmount water supply
  Council resolved to include a fluoride dosing plant in the Greenmount Water Treatment Plant project and add fluoride to treated water supplied to Cambooya, Greenmount, Nobby and Clifton. Queensland Health is to be advised and the decision published on Council’s website.
  Residents in four communities will be directly affected by the water-treatment decision.
• Staged procurement approved for Southern Water Treatment Plant
  Council approved an EOI process to shortlist proponents before written tenders and an Early Contractor Involvement process for the Southern Water Treatment Plant design-and-construction contract.
  The decision establishes the procurement pathway for a major water infrastructure project.
• Art gallery rectification project progresses to detailed design
  Council endorsed further design phases for the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery using Concept Options 3 and 4, while deferring any final construction scope, delivery methodology and project budget decision.
  The gallery project moves forward, but reopening and final costs remain subject to further Council decisions.
• Civic Administration Building planning advanced
  Council endorsed the building location for the Civic Administration Building Project and approved procurement of a probity adviser and functional brief and design development work to refine scope, requirements and cost estimates. The vote was carried 8–3.
  The decision advances planning for a major civic building and future Council expenditure, but does not finalise the construction budget.
• Revised Council meeting standing orders adopted
  Council adopted the revised July 2026 best-practice standing orders for Council and standing committee meetings.
  The rules govern future meeting procedures, voting, conflicts of interest and councillor conduct.
• Yarraman and Meringandan petitions received
  Council received petitions containing 403 valid signatures seeking a Yarraman customer service and visitor information centre and 94 valid signatures opposing the Meringandan subdivision application.
  The petitions are formally on Council’s record, but receiving them did not determine either request or planning application.

Discussion

• Rates and levy revenue
  Rates and levies were $1.1 million above budget, attributed to increased water consumption. Rate arrears, including the State Emergency Management Levy, were 4.02% at 30 June 2026 against a target below 5%.
  The result indicates stronger-than-expected revenue and provides a snapshot of outstanding rate payments, but no new rate increase was adopted in the extracted material.
• Fees, charges and development activity
  Fees and charges were $18.4 million above budget, including higher private works, development, water infrastructure, planning and commercial waste income.
  Higher activity and demand are contributing to Council revenue and may indicate increased development, construction and waste-service use.
• Council cash and debt
  Total unrestricted cash was $291.7 million, with 11.5 months of unrestricted cash expense cover; borrowings were $181.4 million at 30 June 2026.
  Council reported substantial short- and medium-term capacity to meet financial commitments, while debt and capital spending remain relevant to future budgets.
• Capital works and Cressbrook Dam project
  The Capital Works Program was 99% complete and $1.6 million below budget. The Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement Project was $71.3 million below budget because the design phase continued.
  The figures reflect project timing and may affect when major infrastructure works and expenditure occur.
• Planning workload and resourcing
  Planning reported 291 applications, including 32 prelodgements, with recruitment and consultant planners being used to maintain service levels.
  Planning workload and resourcing may affect application processing times and development approvals.
• Rate arrears and sale of land
  Council reported that 49 properties entered the 2026 sale-of-land process, with 32 still remaining at the time of the report.
  The process concerns properties with rate arrears and may affect affected landowners and Council’s revenue recovery.

Impacts

• Fluoride will be added to treated water supplied to Cambooya, Greenmount, Nobby and Clifton.
• The Glenvale planning-scheme variation may enable further development at 300 and 390 Drayton Wellcamp Road.
• Yarraman residents’ request for a local customer service and visitor information centre was formally received but not decided.
• A petition opposing the proposed Meringandan subdivision was formally received but the extracted minutes do not show a final planning decision on that application.
• The Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery and Civic Administration Building projects moved into further planning and design stages, with final construction scopes and budgets not yet determined.
• Council reported strong revenue and cash-cover results, alongside project underspending and a below-target asset sustainability measure.

Places

• Yarraman (town)
  Petition seeks a Council customer service and visitor information centre in Yarraman; nearest centre is stated as Crows Nest, 71 km away.
• Crows Nest (town)
  Existing customer service and visitor information centre referenced as the nearest facility to Yarraman.
• Meringandan (locality)
  Petition opposing proposed residential subdivision application RAL/2025/5992 and seeking larger minimum lots.
• 300 and 390 Drayton Wellcamp Road, Glenvale (development site)
  Planning application site for a preliminary approval to vary the Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme.
• Greenmount Water Treatment Plant (facility)
  New Greenmount Water Treatment Plant project and associated fluoride dosing scope.
• Cambooya, Greenmount, Nobby and Clifton (service area)
  Treated water service area for the Greenmount Water Treatment Plant, including Cambooya, Greenmount, Nobby and Clifton.
• Southern Water Treatment Plant (infrastructure project)
  Proposed Southern Water Treatment Plant design-and-construction procurement project.
• Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery (facility)
  Rectification and potential reopening project for the regional art gallery building.

Next

• Progress the Greenmount Water Treatment Plant contract and fluoride dosing scope, advise Queensland Health and publish the fluoride decision.
  Following the 21 July 2026 resolution
• Invite expressions of interest and proceed with the Early Contractor Involvement pathway for the Southern Water Treatment Plant.
  Next procurement stage
• Undertake the Functional Brief, Schematic Design, Design Development and Detailed Design phases for the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery and report findings to Council.
  Future project phases; timing not specified
• Procure a probity adviser and undertake functional brief and design-development work for the Civic Administration Building Project.
  Next project stage; timing not specified
• Respond to the principal petitioners for the Yarraman and Meringandan petitions and determine any referral or further reporting.
  Under the adopted petition procedures; timing not specified
• Continue recruitment and use consultant planners to manage the planning application workload.
  Ongoing

Extract

Toowoomba Regional Council Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on Tuesday, 21 July 2026 in the Council Chambers, First Floor, City Hall, 541 Ruthven Street, Toowoomba of 257 UNCONFIRMED Toowoomba Regional Council Ordinary Meeting of Council 21 July 2026 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.Opening of Meeting and Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners 2.Reception of Deputations or Delegations by Appointment 3.Attendance including Apologies, Leave of Absence, Granting Leaves of Absence and Declarations of Conflict of Interest 4.Confirmation of Minutes 5.Business Arising out of Minutes of Previous Meetings 6.Presentation of Petitions 6.1.Petition - Establishment of a Toowoomba Regional Council Custo...