“The general fund delivered an operating surplus of $272,000, the water fund operating surplus was $383,000 and the sewer fund surplus was $559,000, the first time in eight years all three funds were in surplus in the same year,” he said in the opening pages of the Annual Report.

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In 2023/24, water and sewer fees and charges were increased by 10 percent, perhaps in part explaining the rare double operating surplus of sewer and water funds,” he said.

“This places Nambucca Valley Council in a strong and robust financial position to deliver on our mission, to value and protect the natural environment, maintain our assets and infrastructure and develop opportunities for our people.”

Mr Spannagle also noted some of the major works completed by Nambucca Valley Council over the past year.

These included several bridge renewals, a boardwalk linking the Visitor Information Centre in Nambucca Heads to Bellwood, road reconstruction in Macksville’s CBD, EJ Biffin Sporting Field lighting and subsoil drainage, the Nambucca Heads Seawall Project, completion of Giinagay Cycleway from Macksville to Nambucca Heads and numerous other projects to improve infrastructure and upgrade community spaces in the region.

As for development applications, Mr Spannagle said, “Mirroring the broader economy, 283 development applications were received last year, which is lower than average, however Council’s average approval time of seven days is an outstanding result putting Nambucca Valley in the top ten best Councils in the state.”

According to details in the report, in 2024, the council paid its general manager a salary of $321,191, representing a raise of more than $50,000 per annum for this position on the previous year’s figure of $267,692, while pay for the two council directors employed alongside Mr Spannagle came to a combined total of $368,493: down on the previous year’s total of $423,212.

It should be noted that Mr Spannagle has only been in the top job for a little over a year and was previously employed as Director of Engineering Services with the council.

The Mayoral Fee also rose significantly from $27,600 in 2022/23 to $47,420 in 2023/24 while Councillors’ fees went from $113,850 to $189,485 this year.

Of the contracts larger than $150,000 awarded in the 2023-24 period, the largest at just over $2.1 million went to Level Projects Pty Ltd for Rural Fire Service building projects at Valla and Newee Creek.

Westrac Equipment Pty Ltd also received over a million of ratepayer’s money for the supply and delivery of two motor graders.

The total number of people employed by council remained roughly the same, but for a slight decrease from 136 in 2023 to 129 people when heads were counted on 14 February 2024.

The full Annual Report and accompanying document, “State of Our Valley Report” which presents an analysis of the council’s progress in implementing the Community Strategic Plan over the past three and a half years is available for viewing on Nambucca Valley Council’s website.

By Ned COWIE