Orange Council records $426,000 operating deficit in quarterly budget review

Orange City Council has adopted its quarterly budget review showing a $426,000 operating deficit and a $7,062,000 capital deficit, while the Responsible Accounting Officer told councillors the organisation remains in a satisfactory financial position. The report was adopted at the council’s ordinary meeting in Orange on 17 March 2026.

The review covered the October to December 2025 quarter. Councillors also backed new reporting requirements for major projects. Future quarterly budget reviews must include an overview of the financial status of all major projects, and the chief executive officer must develop a reporting framework that defines a major project and sets thresholds for reporting to council.

Cr S Peterson and Cr M McDonell moved the project-financials motion, which was carried unanimously. The resolution says councillors want early notice of any substantial negative financial changes so they can be involved sooner and have more options available.

Council also approved a one-year contract with TDO Ltd trading as Orange 360, starting 1 July 2026. The agreement is worth $503,168 a year, plus GST and CPI, and includes an option for a three-year extension.

Year one of the agreement can also be increased by up to $50,000 for an additional advertising campaign, if the chief executive officer accepts and authorises the campaign details. Council also authorised the chief executive officer to negotiate the key performance indicators for Orange360 as part of the agreement.

Mayor Cr T Mileto and Cr G Power both declared significant pecuniary interests in the Orange360 item, left the meeting at 7.14pm and did not take part in the debate or vote. The motion passed 7-1, with Cr J Stedman voting against.

The budget review was one of several financial and policy decisions at the meeting. Council also required quarterly budget reviews to include major project reporting and asked the chief executive officer to prepare a reporting framework for those projects.

Councillors also resolved to seek a preference letter to the Office of Local Government supporting continued membership of the Central NSW Joint Organisation. They adopted Strategic Policy ST46 Managing Council’s Finances and asked staff to investigate ways to give preference to ethically and socially responsible investments, including institutions that do not finance fossil fuels, subject to legal and risk requirements.

Other policies were put on public exhibition for 28 days. Those included ST32 Donations & Grants, ST34 Water Carting, ST21 Child Safe and ST61 Swimming Pool Barrier Inspection Program. The exhibition includes a change that would allow retrospective grant applications up to three months after an event.

Council also adopted the local transport forum’s recommendation for the Woodward Street/Racecourse Road intersection to be linemarked and signposted as a Seagull type intersection, and the Woodward Street/Gardiner Road intersection to be linemarked and signposted as a CHR type intersection.