Rates & spending · Toowoomba Regional Council
Toowoomba council reports 91% of measured results on target as staffing pressures hit some services
The first-quarter report records 125 measures on target, but also identifies reduced planning staff, heavier application volumes and workloads affecting some property services. Fleet spending was 6% below year-to-date budget.
Reporting from public council minutes. How this article was prepared
Toowoomba Regional Council reported 125 of 137 measured services, projects and key performance indicators as “On Target” for the first quarter of 2026/27, while two measures were delayed. Ten more were marked “Monitor”.
The report covers the three months to 30 September 2026. It says 98% of specific actions and projects were either on target or being monitored. Of the 21 key performance indicators being measured, 95% had one of those two statuses, while eight of the plan’s 29 indicators were scheduled for measurement later.
The figures were accompanied by pressure in several service areas. Development Services Planning reported that reduced staff numbers, higher application volumes and greater complexity had slightly reduced average statutory timeframe compliance for the month. Property Acquisitions and Leasing said significant workloads were affecting delivery times.
Environmental Health services continued despite staffing constraints, with work prioritised according to public health, safety and regulatory risk.
Fleet and Logistics reported expenditure 6% below its year-to-date budget, income 4% above year-to-date budget and scheduled fleet servicing 95% complete. Information, Communication and Technology said it resolved 92% of 7,348 tickets within agreed timeframes, with an average response time of 2.18 days.
The Corporate Services Committee recommended that Council note the report and adopt a proposed change to the Operational Plan. Accompanying customer-service material discusses Customer Net Promoter Score, a recommendation-based measure, and says Customer Satisfaction and Customer Effort Score would remain.
An accompanying comment says NPS is a poor fit for local government because residents and businesses generally cannot choose another council provider, and because results can be affected by rates, regulation and other Council decisions. For September, Council reported customer satisfaction of 96.4% from 463 inbound-call survey responses and a 94% positive customer effort result from 407 responses. The supplied meeting record contains a committee recommendation, not a final Council resolution on the proposed change.
What deserves a closer look
The aggregate performance figures are Council-reported results and do not show that every service was free of delays or pressure.
Item 3 contains a committee recommendation, not a recorded final Council resolution or vote adopting the proposed change. The earlier carried motions concern apologies.
The readable customer-service material discusses NPS and retaining CSAT and CES, but does not explicitly state that NPS would be removed. That removal claim has been deleted throughout the story.
Questions for follow-up reporting
Did Council later resolve to adopt the proposed Operational Plan change?
Will the reported planning-service timeframe result improve?
What happens next
If Council considers the committee recommendation, it would be asked to note the first-quarter performance report and adopt the proposed Operational Plan change. The supplied record does not establish whether or when that consideration will occur.
Check the record
These passages were matched to the source text. Read them in context in the original minutes.
The first-quarter Operational Plan report covers Council performance year to date to 30 September 2026.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The attached 2026/27 Operational Plan Progress Report Year to Date (Quarter 1) examines Council performance year to date to 30 September 2026. RECOMMENDATION That Council note the organisational performance as outlined in the 2026/27 Operational Plan Progress Report Year to Date (Quarter 1) (Attachment 1) and adopt the recommended change to the 2026/27 Operational Plan as outlined in the Request for Change (Attachment 2).
Item 3, executive summary
Open original minutes ↗The overall Quarter 1 performance table records 125 measures on target, 10 monitored and two delayed, totalling 137 measured results.
An overall summary of performance across all Services, Key Priorities and KPIs for Quarter 1 is provided in the following table: Performance statusNumberPercentage On Target12591% Monitor107% Delayed22% Total measured137100% Page 7 of 47 Toowoomba Regional CouncilCorporate Services Committee 10 November 2026 CONSULTATION UNDERTAKEN The 2026/27 Operational Plan Progress Report Year to Date (Quarter 1) has been prepared by functional delivery areas and reviewed by Managers, General Managers and the Executive Leadership Team.
Item 3, overall performance summary table
Open original minutes ↗The report says 98% of specific actions and projects were on target or monitored; 95% of the 21 currently measured KPIs had those statuses, with eight of 29 KPIs measured in a future cycle.
For the reporting period, 98% of Operational Plan Specific Actions/ Projects have a status of 'On Target' or 'Monitor', reflecting implementation of Council's operational activities in line with predicted delivery. The Operational Plan includes a total of 29 KPIs, noting that eight (8) KPIs are measured in a future reporting cycle. Of the 21 KPIs currently being measured, 95% have a status of 'On Target' or 'Monitor'.
Item 3, operational actions and KPI performance
Open original minutes ↗The attachment records 54 specific actions and projects: 49 on target, four monitored and one delayed.
Dated 49 (91%) 4 (7%) 1 (2%) On TargetMonitorDelayed Total Specific Actions/Projects = 54 7 19 10 13 0 3 1 00 1 0 0 05 101520 People Place Prosperity Performance On Target Monitor Delayed Page 14 of 47 Progress Reporting – Year to Date (Q1) Page 5 Operational Plan 2026/27 1.1 Encourage initiatives that address community health and wellbeing.
Attachment 1, Quarter 1 overview chart
Open original minutes ↗The KPI overview records 17 on target, three monitored, one delayed and eight future-dated indicators, totalling 29.
ABOUT THE OPERATIONAL PLAN Page 13 of 47 Progress Reporting – Year to Date (Q1) Pag e 4 Operational Plan 2026/27 Operational Plan 2026/27 OVERVIEW Progress Reporting - Quarter 1 SPECIFIC ACTION/PROJECT UPDATES YEAR TO DATE (Q1) 2026/27 KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR UPDATES YEAR TO DATE (Q1) 2026/27 SPECIFIC ACTION/PROJECT UPDATES BY CORPORATE PLAN G OAL YEAR TO DATE (Q1) 2026/27 KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR UPDATES BY CORPORATE PLAN GOAL YEAR TO DATE (Q1) 2026/27 17 (59%) 3 (10%) 1 (3%) 8 28% On TargetMonitorDelayedFuture Dated Total KPIs = 29 3 3 3 8 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 11 1 0 6 02468 10 People Place Prosperity Performance On Target Monitor Delayed Future
Attachment 1, Quarter 1 KPI overview chart
Open original minutes ↗Development Services Planning reported that reduced staff numbers, increased application volumes and complexity slightly reduced average statutory timeframe compliance for the month.
ERS Development Engineering Continue to provide existing services at or near existing levels and within adopted budget DIG Development Services Planning Continue to provide existing services at or near existing levels and within adopted budget Reduced staff numbers coupled with increased applic ation volumes and complexity have resulted in a slight reduction in a verage statutory timeframe compliance for month.
Attachment 1, Key Services, Development Services Planning
Open original minutes ↗Property Acquisitions and Leasing reported significant workloads affecting delivery times in all areas of Acquisition and Leasing.
CM Project Services Continue to provide existing services at or near existing levels and within adopted budget PJS Property Acquisitions and Leasing Continue to provide existing services at or near existing levels and within adopted budget Significant workloads are affecting delivery times in all areas of Acquisition & Leasing.
Attachment 1, Key Services, Property Acquisitions and Leasing
Open original minutes ↗Environmental Health core services continued despite staffing constraints, with work prioritised according to public health, safety and regulatory risk.
Get Ready Queensland 2 025-2026 financially acquitted. Work continues on the 2026-2 027 program. PS Environmental Health Continue to provide existing services at or near existing levels and within adopted budget Core services continued to be delivered despite sta ffing constraints. Work was prioritised and triaged on a risk basis to ensu re resources were focused on matters with the highest public health, safety and regulatory risk. ERS Events and Festivals Continue to provide existing services at or near existing levels and within adopted budget Service provided within adopted budget in line with objectives and service delivery expectations.
Attachment 1, Key Services, Environmental Health
Open original minutes ↗Source record
Reporting from the supplied report of Toowoomba Regional Council’s Corporate Services Committee meeting on 10 November 2026 and its attached first-quarter Operational Plan report.
Key facts from the minutes
- The report covers Council performance to 30 September 2026, the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year.
- The overall performance table records 125 measures on target, 10 being monitored and two delayed, totalling 137 measured results.
- Fleet and Logistics expenditure was reported as 6 per cent under its year-to-date budget, with income 4 per cent over year-to-date budget.
- Information, Communication and Technology reported resolving 92 per cent of 7,348 tickets within agreed timeframes.
- The committee recommended noting the performance report and adopting a proposed Operational Plan change. Accompanying material questions the suitability of Customer Net Promoter Score and says Customer Satisfaction and Customer Effort Score would remain.
- The supplied meeting record contains a committee recommendation and does not record a final Council decision on that recommendation.
Why it matters
- The report presents a broadly positive Council-reported performance picture, but identifies staffing and workload pressures that have affected planning timeframes and property-service delivery. The supplied meeting record does not establish Council adoption of the recommended Operational Plan change.