Council prepares for busy year of building pools and fighting the state

After two months off, Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) sprung back into action on Tuesday, February 13.

Here's some of what was discussed:

Council is fed up with having to pay for state government initiatives, and their taking their grievances straight to the top.

One of the first items on the agenda was a motion from mayor Russell Webb to fight against "extraordinary" financial burdens being passed on to councils from the state government.

A study commissioned by advocacy body Local Government NSW (LGNSW) recently found the state government is putting $1.36 billion of extra expenses on local councils across NSW each year.

Cr Webb said there is a "real push" organised by LGNSW to get all councils across the state to collectively advocate to put an end to such cost shifting once and for all.

Cr Phil Betts said he's seen cost shifting become an ever-increasing burden on councils during his 30-plus years in local government, pointing to issues of parking and traffic at Tamworth hospital as an example.

All councillors voted in favour of supporting LGNSW's campaign, though Cr Mark Rodda said he wanted it noted much of the cost shifting council is currently dealing with came from the previous Coalition government.

"I don't think the new government has been nearly as mercenary as the previous government was as of yet," Cr Rodda said.

Tamworth's new $45 million aquatic and sports health centre is paddling forwards with a designer for the facility officially on board.

The details of the design are being kept under wraps for now, but a contract for at least the first phase of the project has been awarded to Surry Hills-based architects CO.OP Studio Pty Ltd.

The "state-of-the-art" aquatic centre is expected to have a 50 metre indoor pool with moveable boom and floor, a smaller warm-water pool, a gym, cafe, and allied health consulting rooms.

CO.OP will be expected to scope out and design the facility at least to the point that's "suitable to accompany a Development Application" (DA).

Council expects a DA for the facility to be submitted by the end of the year, with a goal of completing construction by mid-2026.

It's business as usual for Tamworth's town square after a motion to rename the popular section of Fitzroy Street in between Peel Street and Kable Avenue was withdrawn.

Council staff had previously recommended beginning the process of officially changing its name to "Fitzroy Place" after receiving endorsement from the Tamworth City Centre Working Group.

Cr Webb informed fellow councillors of the decision by council staff to rescind the recommendation, denying them the chance to vote on the name change.

It is currently unclear whether council aims to revisit renaming the central meeting hub - commonly known as "Fitzroy Plaza" - at a later date.