NARRABRI Shire Council (NSC) has adopted its 2026–27 Operational Plan, including new fees and charges for aquatic facilities, despite receiving a significant number of submissions raising concerns about affordability and the negative impact on pool users.
While fee increases were adopted at June’s ordinary council meeting, NSC said it has ‘heard’ the questions and concerns, and will respond to the strong community feedback by committing to further consultation with pool users before considering the proposed Aquatic Facilities Management Plan and updated policy.
Prior to councillors voting in favour of adopting the plan, a requirement was added to request the general manager consult with the Narrabri Dolphins Water Polo Club and local swim school operators and
report back within four months on maintaining affordable access to pool facilities.
Councillors will next month consider a new framework, establishing how different user groups should be categorised to try to ensure costs are allocated more fairly based on aquatic facility usage.
General manager Eloise Chaplain said council staff have been engaging with swim teachers and groups in the development of the plan.
The consideration of a new proposed model comes after the council received 62 submissions during the draft plan public exhibition period.
The vast majority of submissions were about pool usage, with 24 of the 62 submissions made against the draft Aquatic Facilities Management Plan and 35 about pool fees.
Submissions raised concerns about a range of issues, from the impact of increasing costs on families and the affordability of vital learn-to-swim classes to threatening the viability of the water polo club.
“Council appreciates the strong community interest in this matter and thanks everyone who took the time to provide feedback during the public exhibition period,” said a statement released by NSC.
“Further engagement with user groups will continue as council considers the proposed Aquatic Facilities Management Plan and Policy.”
The council said for most general patrons the changes adopted at June’s meeting are ‘relatively small’, with annual shire-wide pool passes increasing by a maximum of $5 per year and casual entry fees increasing by a maximum of 50 cents per visit.
The council said there are opportunities for regular users to save through multi-entry and season pass options, including a 10-entry pass that effectively provides one free entry; a six-month unlimited access pass is available for $162; and someone attending the pool twice per week could save about $176 over six months by purchasing an unlimited access pass.
For commercial users, the council said some fees have been restructured to better reflect actual facility usage and learn-to-swim providers can now hire pods in 15-minute increments at $4.50 per session, rather than booking one-hour blocks.
Lane hire is now charged in 15-minute increments at $8 per lane, replacing the previous hourly fee structure. The council said prices are GST inclusive.
“Importantly, council’s pool entry fees remain comparable with other councils across the region,” the NSC statement said.
“While they are not the lowest, they are also well below some neighbouring local government areas.”
Regarding the new Aquatic Facilities Management Plan up for consideration, the council said the proposed framework aims to create a fairer and more consistent approach to managing aquatic facilities across the shire by recognising the different ways people access and use the pools.
The proposed model would see users grouped into four categories: corporate and business users, not-for-profit users, schools and general patrons.
Describing each category, the council said corporate users referred to businesses and organisations operating for profit that use the aquatic facilities as part of their business operations or for commercial events.
Not-for-profit users included community groups, clubs and eligible not-for-profit organisations.
If the plan is adopted, organisations meeting the eligibility criteria would be eligible for a 50 per cent concession on applicable fees.
Group members would be required to pay general pool entry fees.
In terms of schools, registered NSW education providers would continue to have free access for curriculum-based activities and one annual swimming carnival, with discounted rates available for additional facility hire.
Students would be required to pay general pool entry fees.
However, the arrangement the council currently has in place – where schools are invoiced per the number of students at the conclusion of the event – will stay in place, so students don’t have to pay at the gate.
The general patrons category refers to people accessing the pools through casual entry, season passes or annual memberships.
The council said the proposal is designed to provide greater flexibility while ensuring costs are allocated more fairly based on facility usage.
The adopted operational plan sets out the council’s activities, budget, capital works program, revenue policy, and fees and charges for the coming financial year, including those relating to aquatic facilities.
As previously reported, NSC is forecasting a $5.5m deficit, with staff citing rising costs, reduced grant funding and cost shifting from other levels of government among the key budget pressures.
This was highlighted again at the June meeting, when mayor Darrell Tiemens said: “The level of grants from both federal and state governments has fallen off a cliff.”
During the June meeting, budget pressures and the level of subsidy provided by ratepayers were topics raised in discussions about the operational plan and pool fees.
Cr Greg Lamont said the arguments raised in the public submissions were ‘very valid and very sensible’.
He asked if the council could meet with pool user groups to talk through options.
“I think it’s an excellent idea councillor,” responded Cr Tiemens. “It was good getting those submissions.
“When it comes to these types of matters, there’s a general view amongst many people…that if you use it, you should pay for it.
“Whether it be swimming pool fees or The Crossing Theatre fees or whatever it is, very rarely cover the service itself.
“My understanding is it’s about $2 million the ratepayers have to subsidise the swimming pool.
“From the last council…I think it was like $75 it would cost for every visit to the swimming pool, so that’s a lot of money that we (NSC) subsidise.”
Chaplain said she welcomed the community feedback provided while the draft plan was on public exhibition.
“I myself am very pleased, going from previous years having minimal engagement with the community to having an increase in engagement and some submissions with some really great questions,” she said at the meeting.
The overwhelming majority of submissions were critical and opposed to aquatic facility fee increases, citing concerns about affordability, water safety education and the future of the Narrabri Dolphins Water Polo Club.
Several submissions described fee increases as unfair.
A number of submissions described swimming as a critical life skill and highlighted how pool access supports physical activity, rehabilitation and good mental health.
Several learn-to-swim instructors and parents argued that increased lane hire fees would result in higher lesson costs for local families at a time when households were experiencing cost-of-living pressures.
“Swimming lessons are an essential life skill, not a luxury,” said one submission.
“Swimming is not just a sport it’s a vital life skill, a survival skill and for some it’s a form of exercise, therapy and social interaction,” said another.
Concerns were expressed about pool entry fees, lesson fees and spectator charges and how further increases reduce participation.
Lane hire charges and facility hire arrangements were also raised.
Some submissions questioned whether the proposed changes had been adequately discussed with affected user groups and called for more consultation.
A submission said: “For the Narrabri Dolphins Water Polo Club, annual facility charges will increase from approximately $2,664 in 2025–26 to $12,636 in 2026–27.
“This represents an increase of more than $10,000 per annum, or almost 375 per cent.”
“The Narrabri Dolphins Water Polo Club makes a positive contribution to the health and wellbeing of the Narrabri community,” one comment read.
If the new framework is adopted, it’s believed a concessional discount could be applied to the $12,636 annual facility charge described in the submission.
At the June meeting, the operational plan was adopted with all councillors present voting in favour.
Cr Ryan Whillas moved the recommendation and requested the following addition: “That the general manager enter in consultation with Narrabri Dolphins water polo team and swim class businesses to ensure and maintain affordability of our pool facilities and to provide a report back to council within four months.”
“The community feedback we’ve had, it was definitely read and received,” said Cr Whillas.
“Talking with council staff and understanding why we’ve had to make the changes and increase the fees… it certainly makes sense as to why we have to do it and to make it more in line and more fair across all clubs.
“I do understand that. I don’t want us to push clubs out though and make it unaffordable for people to be able to do things.”
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