Rates & spending · Inner West Council
Inner West budget review adds $6m to capital program as surplus forecast falls
The Quarter 1 review lifts the 2026/27 capital allocation by $6m, including $3.8m in projected grants, while trimming the forecast surplus from $3.5m to $3.4m.
Reporting from draft minutes. Recorded wording may change when confirmed. How this article was prepared
Inner West Council has increased its 2026/27 capital budget by $6 million, while reducing its forecast surplus from $3.5 million to $3.4 million, according to unconfirmed minutes of its 10 November meeting.
The changes were included in the Quarterly Budget Review Statement adopted as part of Council’s Quarter 1 progress report. The resolution says the additional capital allocation is partly funded by $3.8 million in projected capital grants; it does not establish that the funding has already been received.
The same report recorded 96 per cent of Operational Plan actions as completed or on track, with 93 per cent of measures on target or within tolerance. The budget motion was carried with all listed councillors voting for and none against.
The resolution does not identify the individual capital projects covered by the extra allocation. It records a change to Council’s budget position, but does not establish that the additional works have been completed or that the projected grants have been awarded.
The minutes are marked unconfirmed and are the public record of the 10 November meeting.
What deserves a closer look
The resolution describes the $3.8 million as projected capital grants, so the source does not establish that the grants have already been received.
The resolution records the overall capital-budget increase but does not provide a project-by-project breakdown.
Questions for follow-up reporting
Which capital projects make up the additional $6 million allocation?
What grant decisions or conditions underpin the $3.8 million in projected capital grants?
Will Council revise the forecast if projected grants are not secured or project costs change?
Check the record
These passages were matched to the source text. Read them in context in the original minutes.
The Quarterly Budget Review Statement for Quarter 1 2026/27 was adopted, including a $0.1 million reduction in the forecast surplus from $3.5 million to $3.4 million and a $6 million capital-budget increase partly funded by $3.8 million in projected capital grants.
viii. Hosted One Last Roar at Leichhardt Oval, attended by more than 5,000 people. ix. Around 9,000 people attended the Dulwich Hill Festival. 2. Adopt the Quarterly Budget Review Statement for Quarter 1 2026/27, including the recommended budget changes set out in the statement, as follows: a) A modest $0.1m reduction in the forecast surplus, from $3.5m to $3.4m b) An additional $6.0m allocation to the capital budget, partially funded by an additional $3.8m in projected capital grants. Motion Carried For Motion: Crs Antoniou, Atkins, Barlow, Blake, Byrne, Carlisle, Clay, D'Arienzo, Fergusson, Howard, Macri, Scott, Smith and Tastan Against Motion: Nil C1126(1) Item 8 Local Transport Forum Meeting - 19 October 2026 Motion: (Howard/Atkins) That Council receive and adopt the recommendations of the Local Transport Forum meeting held on 19 October 2026.
Item 3, budget-review provisions and the following Motion Carried entry, before the Item 8 heading
Open original minutes ↗The minutes record the motion as carried, with all listed councillors voting for and none against.
Motion Carried For Motion: Crs Antoniou, Atkins, Barlow, Blake, Byrne, Carlisle, Clay, D'Arienzo, Fergusson, Howard, Macri, Scott, Smith and Tastan Against Motion: Nil C1126(1) Item 8 Local Transport Forum Meeting - 19 October 2026 Motion: (Howard/Atkins) That Council receive and adopt the recommendations of the Local Transport Forum meeting held on 19 October 2026.
Opening vote entry concluding Item 3, before the Item 8 heading
Open original minutes ↗The Quarter 1 Operational Plan 2026/27 progress-report motion notes that 96 per cent of actions were completed or on track and 93 per cent of measures were on target or within tolerance.
Endorse the Quarterly Progress Report for Quarter 1 on the Operational Plan 2026/27, noting that: a) 96% of actions were completed or on track, and 93% of measures were on target or within tolerance of the target.
Item 3, point 1(a)
Open original minutes ↗The minutes for the Ordinary Council meeting held on 10 November 2026 are identified as unconfirmed.
PUBLIC SPEAKERS: Item # Speaker Suburb Item 7: Nikki Ellis Birchgrove Item 8: Jo Burton Sander Ottes Mia Lewin Dan Conway Ashfield Annandale Enmore Marrickville Item 9: Rose Doolan Karl Sekulla Rojan Bajgain Tempe Sydenham Sydenham Item 15: Tracie Miller Sydney Item 27: Mirabel Somers Dulwich Hill Item 28: Chris Gray Croydon Item 35: Ellis Bou-Harb Marrickville Unconfirmed minutes from the Ordinary Council meeting held on 10 November 2026.
Closing note to the minutes
Open original minutes ↗Source record
Reporting from Inner West Council’s public minutes for the Ordinary Council Meeting held on 10 November 2026. The minutes are marked unconfirmed.
Key facts from the minutes
- Council adopted the Quarterly Budget Review Statement for Quarter 1 2026/27.
- The forecast surplus was reduced by $0.1 million, from $3.5 million to $3.4 million.
- The capital budget was increased by $6.0 million, partly funded by $3.8 million in projected capital grants.
- The minutes record the motion as carried, with all listed councillors voting for and none against.
- The minutes are marked unconfirmed, and the budget resolution does not identify the individual capital projects covered by the increase.
Why it matters
- The review changes Council’s forecast financial position and expands its capital program, but part of the increase is tied to projected grant funding and the resolution does not specify which projects will receive the additional allocation.