newy.com.au – Lake Macquarie City Council has reported a $19.1 million operating surplus and a $33.4 million reduction in borrowings for 2025-2026, as councillors endorsed its Annual Report at their 26 October meeting.
Borrowings fell by 15 per cent. Council also said it completed 96 per cent of the 138 actions in its 2025-2026 Operational Plan, part of its long term planning framework. It was the sixth consecutive year the completion rate exceeded 90 per cent.
Mayor Adam Shultz highlighted the restoration of Awaba House and improvements to Macquarie Field at Speers Point, Douglass Street Oval at Dora Creek and Harold Knight Oval at Gateshead among the year’s achievements.
“We’ve continued investing in the infrastructure our growing city needs, delivering upgrades to roads, shared pathways and aquatic centres, while progressing major projects like the Swansea Channel dredge and upgrades to the Awaba Waste Management Facility,” he said.
Cr Shultz said council had also adopted a new Waste and Circular Materials Strategy and supported more than 150 Landcare groups, whose volunteers planted more than 3500 native plants across Lake Macquarie.
Chief executive David Hughes said council assessed more development applications than any other council in NSW. He credited streamlined procedures with speeding up processes and reducing red tape.
At the same meeting, councillors adopted a revised Stormwater Management Services Charge Policy. Council described the changes as minor clarifications covering the charge’s legal basis, the work it can fund, how it is assessed and reporting requirements.
The meeting agenda and reports are available online. Council said a recording would be posted on its webcast site within 48 hours of the meeting.
