Draft Fees and Charges Schedule 2026-27

Council is asking for feedback on the Draft Fees and Charges Schedule 2026–27, which lists proposed fees for Council services for the next financial year starting 1 July 2026.

Before fees and charges are finalised, Council wants to hear from residents, businesses and organisations about the proposed changes. Community feedback helps Council understand impacts and consider improvements before making a final decision.

All submissions will be reviewed and summarised in a report to Council. Councillors will consider feedback before deciding whether to adopt the final Fees and Charges Schedule.

Fees and charges are payments for specific Council services, facilities or approvals, such as:

• parking permits
• venue and facility hire
• development and planning services
• public events and filming activities

They are different from rates, which fund general Council services.

Council is required by law to review fees and charges each year. Regular reviews help ensure fees:

• reflect the cost of delivering services
• are fair and transparent
• keep pace with inflation and market conditions
• do not unfairly burden ratepayers who do not use specific services

If adopted by Council, the final Fees and Charges Schedule 2026–27 will come into effect from 1 July 2026.

Many fees are proposed to increase by 3.7%, which is broadly in line with inflation. This helps Council manage rising costs such as staff, materials and maintenance, while continuing to deliver services.

Not all fees are increasing, and some have been changed or removed.

Some new fees are proposed where:

• costs were not previously fully recovered
• services have changed or expanded
• clearer and more consistent pricing is needed

This helps improve transparency and fairness across services.

Council is proposing to remove fees that are outdated, duplicated or no longer needed. This helps simplify the fee schedule and make it easier to understand.

Some fees have been underpriced for a number of years.

In these cases, updates are proposed to better reflect:

• the cost of providing the service
• the level of demand
• market conditions

Council is proposing an impact‑based approach to event and filming fees. Fees would vary depending on things like:

• the size of the event
• how long it runs
• the level of impact on public spaces
• the resources needed to manage the activity

Yes. Discounted fees are proposed for not‑for‑profit organisations and lower‑impact events, while higher‑impact events may attract higher fees to reflect additional costs.

Some events can cause wear and tear to grass, turf or infrastructure. Reinstatement fees help ensure parks are returned to a good condition for everyone and that repair costs are not paid by general ratepayers.

Pre‑DA fees are proposed to be based on the estimated cost of works, rather than staff attendance time.

This aims to:

• better reflect the complexity of proposals
• improve consistency and transparency
• allow Council to resource assessments appropriately

No. Fees set by State legislation will be updated separately when they are published and reported to Council.

Moderate increases are proposed for resident parking permits to better reflect:

• demand for limited on‑street parking
• the value of public space
• Council’s transport and sustainability objectives

Yes. This draft does not include:

• fees for the North Sydney Olympic Pool
• fees linked to the proposed Commercial and Group Use of Public Open Space Policy

These matters will be considered separately.