From the Council Chambers - August

Published on 21 August 2026

August's Council meeting was a little like a town hall conversation.

There was discussion about how our communities are welcomed, how we speak to one another online, how we plan for future growth and, perhaps most importantly, how we ensure regional communities aren't forgotten when decisions are being made elsewhere.

From new town entry signs and pedestrian safety advocacy to housing, planning and the projects continuing to roll across the Shire, the focus was firmly on building communities that are safe, connected and ready for the future.

Here are some of the key moments from the Council Chambers.

Investigation Into More Pedestrian Crossings

This month, Councillors considered a Mayoral Minute focused on pedestrian crossings, a topic that continues to generate discussion across the Shire.

Speaking to his Minute, Mayor Tiemens said, “these things cost a lot of money, but we should be at the very least responding to the community that have suggested this for some time”.

The Mayoral Minute, which was unanimously supported by Council, will see staff perform an investigation into additional safe pedestrian crossings on the main streets of Boggabri, Narrabri and Wee Waa.

Following a suggestion from Cr. Jansson, a pram ramp to access the Narrabri Aquatic Centre will also be investigated.

The Welcome Committee Gets an Upgrade

First impressions matter, and Council has taken another step towards refreshing the front door of our towns and villages. Following years of community consultation and a recent public exhibition period, Councillors considered the final designs for a new suite of entry signs across the Shire.

“The engagement we did with the community was really informative”, explained General Manager, Eloise Chaplain.

“It informed us of the direction the community would like, which was outstandingly different to the draft designs, so we have worked with our contractor to revise the designs”.

The revised designs have brighter colours, less weathered steel and changes to the imagery for Narrabri (now Sawn Rocks) and a revised silo design for Bellata. The new signs aim to celebrate what makes each community unique while creating a consistent identity across the Shire.

Cr. Towns thanked the community for getting involved in the engagement process, “thank you to everybody who submitted your view on the signs, it is great to see how many people in our Shire actually love their towns and want the best representation for it”.

The signs will now be fabricated and installed over the coming months. Final designs can be viewed here.

Council's Social Media House Rules

In a world where information travels fast and not everything online is true, Council wants its social media pages to remain a place the community can trust and feel safe using.

Councillors considered a review of Council's Social Media Policy, aimed at creating safe and respectful online spaces where residents can find accurate information, ask questions and engage directly with Council. While Council can't police the internet, it can set expectations on its own pages to help reduce misinformation, inappropriate language and behaviour that discourages community participation.

“We want to be very clear, have a clear standard that we are setting, and have that accountability element as well”, said Ms. Chaplain.

Cr. Lamont described the policy as a “very strong document that needs to be considered very carefully”.

The proposed changes include a one-strike warning process for users who breach the guidelines, with more serious behaviour able to attract immediate action. The draft policy will now be placed on public exhibition before returning to Council for consideration.

Projects Still Moving, Just Not Finished Yet

Not every project neatly crosses the finish line on 30 June.

Council considered its annual Carryovers, Revotes and Overruns report, which in simple terms, allows projects that were underway at the end of the financial year to carry their funding forward so the work can continue.

The report included more than $8.6 million in projects progressing into the new financial year, with many already well underway and some nearing completion. The adjustments are largely funded through grants, reserves and external funding sources, rather than additional pressure on ratepayers.

Cr. Whillas queried the inclusion of the Violet Street Bridge project in the overruns report and requested confirmation that the project remained fully funded through grants and external contributions.

Director Corporate and Community Services, Mark Watt responded, “yes, that particular project has been funded over a two-year period and the overrun was due to a reduction in the budget during the prior year and the reallocation of that money will cover that overrun and any other requirements to complete that project, it is fully funded in terms of grant funding”.

Planning for Growth Without the Fine Print

Council considered the adoption of the new Narrabri Shire Development Control Plan 2026, bringing a range of planning controls together into one modern document.

The plan helps guide how homes, businesses, subdivisions and other developments are assessed across the Shire, creating clearer and more consistent rules for anyone looking to invest, build or develop locally.

Cr. Jansson requested confirmation on how often a Development Control Plan should be reviewed. Director Development and Compliance, Kate Alberry advised that they should be reviewed every five years.

Cr. Lamont sought clarification on internal capacity to assess development applications on a merit basis, without having to engage external consultants.

“We certainly do have qualified staff to undertake merit assessments”, confirmed Ms. Alberry.

“The current DCP has virtually no controls, so everything is merit based, so this strikes a balance between a merit-based assessment and the compliance with the regulatory compliance process”.

After public exhibition, Council received one submission, considered the feedback and resolved to adopt the document as originally exhibited.

A Reminder That Regional Australia Is Not Sydney

When it comes to housing supply, Council's message to the Productivity Commission was simple: regional communities face very different challenges to Australia's major cities.

Councillors endorsed a submission highlighting that housing shortages in areas like Narrabri are often less about planning regulations and more about funding, environment, industry, and how housing is generated.

In discussion about the submission Mayor Tiemens flagged that housing would be one of the biggest challenges that our Shire faces for the next 10 to 20 years and that it is a “big constraint” on our economic development.

Cr. Whillas acknowledged the work being done by staff in this space and how “once again we are being pushed into the same box as metropolitan areas which doesn’t fit everywhere, so it is good to have someone stand up for regional and rural areas”.

The submission calls for greater support to unlock residential land, deliver essential services and ensure regional communities receive their fair share of attention in statewide housing policy discussions.

In Summary

Safer crossings. New signs on the horizon. Clearer conversations online. Projects continuing to take shape. Planning for growth and advocating for regional communities.

A meeting about the steady work being done to build a stronger Narrabri Shire, one decision at a time.