Council Continues Focus on Long-Term Financial Sustainability
Published on 22 April 2026
Temora Shire Council has adopted a revised Financial Sustainability Strategy at this month’s Ordinary Council Meeting, reinforcing its ongoing commitment to careful financial management and transparency with the community.
Financial sustainability continues to present a significant and growing challenge for rural and regional councils across New South Wales. Like many councils, Temora Shire is navigating increasing operational costs, ageing infrastructure, and rising community expectations, all within a constrained revenue environment.
Council first adopted its Financial Sustainability Strategy in April 2025 and has committed to reviewing the document annually to ensure it remains practical, relevant and responsive to changing conditions. The latest update reflects Council’s continued work to improve its financial position while maintaining essential services and infrastructure for the community.
The revised Strategy includes two key changes. The Asset Renewals target has been adjusted from 100 per cent to 60 per cent, recognising a more realistic and achievable benchmark based on current financial capacity. In addition, the Strategy’s key actions have been updated to align with the ongoing development and implementation of Council’s Productivity and Efficiency Improvement Plan, which is focused on identifying smarter, more sustainable ways of delivering services.
Mayor Rick Firman OAM said the adoption of the revised Strategy is part of Council’s broader commitment to keeping the community informed about the financial realities it faces and the steps being taken to address them.
“Financial sustainability is the most important issue facing councils like ours, and it’s not something we take lightly,” Mayor Firman said.
“We know our shire community relies on us to deliver essential services, maintain our roads and infrastructure, and plan for the future. To do that responsibly, we must continually review how we operate and ensure our financial strategies are both realistic and sustainable.”
The updated Strategy reflects Council’s ongoing commitment to managing financial pressures in a responsible and transparent way while continuing to deliver essential services to the community.
“This is about making sure we can continue to support our shire community now and into the future, without placing an unfair burden on current or future generations.”
“Councillors and our staff are 100% committed to continue being open with our community about the challenges we face, and the decisions required to ensure the long-term sustainability of Council. Our citizens were there to help us ensure Temora Shire Council remained a stand-alone Council. We know they’ll be there for us to ensure we remain strong for today and the future,” Mayor Firman concluded.
The Financial Sustainability Strategy provides a clear framework to guide Council’s financial decision-making and long-term planning. It is based on responsible financial management principles set out under the NSW Local Government Act 1993 and helps ensure Council continues to make decisions that are transparent, practical, and in the best interests of the community.
To support transparency and ongoing community engagement, Council maintains a dedicated Financial Sustainability webpage. This page provides information on the work undertaken to date, current initiatives, and the key challenges shaping Council’s long-term financial planning, and will continue to be updated as this work progresses. The webpage can be accessed here.
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Temora Shire Council Media Enquires
Corporate Communications Officer – Elise Hawthorn
E: communications@temora.nsw.gov.au
P: 6980 1127