Orange residents to weigh councillor expenses and community engagement rules for 28 days

Orange residents will have at least 28 days to comment on the rules that govern councillor expenses and how Orange City Council engages the community, after councillors voted to place Strategic Policy ST03 Councillor Expenses & Provision of Facilities and Strategic Policy ST20 Community Engagement on public exhibition.

The two policies were put on display for a minimum of 28 days. The vote was unanimous, with no councillors against.

Council also adopted Strategic Policy ST47 Procurement after it had been through exhibition. The policy sets the rules for how council buys goods and services.

At the same meeting, councillors adopted the 2026/2027 Operational Plan and Resourcing Strategy, including the Long-Term Financial Plan, Workforce Management Strategy, Asset Management Strategy, the schedule of fees and charges, and the 2026/2027 rating structure and expenditure. Fees and charges are due to rise by 3%, subject to any NSW Government changes and later variation processes.

Questions were also raised about how council records confidential items in closed meetings. Cr Mallard asked for clarification on the Code of Meeting Practice, and the chief executive said council would seek further advice from the Office of Local Government.

The meeting also dealt with the Redmond Place Air Hangar. Council resolved not to proceed with the $950,000 funding allocation for renovation of the hangar to make it suitable for an indoor playground, and asked for a report on a suitable storage facility for service groups at the Showground before the next quarterly review.

Councillors also put the draft Orange Active Transport Strategy and Implementation Plan on community exhibition for at least 28 days, along with the Orange Open Space and Recreation Strategy and Implementation Plan on public exhibition for at least 28 days.

For Orange residents, the policy exhibition is the part to watch now: it opens the councillor expense rules and community engagement rules for public comment before council makes its final call.

The council meeting also approved a development application for 86 Summer Street, dealt with a vegetation removal approval at 57 Woodward Street, and made lease and buyback decisions on a range of properties and council assets.