Let's talk: Council seeks community input on the future of local services, assets and infrastructure
North Sydney Council
North Sydney Council is calling on residents and businesses to help shape the future of local services, assets and infrastructure by participating in its ‘Let’s talk’ community consultation, open until midnight on Friday 29 August.
Council manages $1.6 billion in assets and delivers over 200 services, but its current financial position is unsustainable. In early 2025, Council applied to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) for a rate increase to maintain services, address infrastructure backlogs, and plan for the future. While IPART acknowledged Council’s financial challenges, the application was not approved. Instead, IPART recommended further consultation with the community to better understand local priorities and expectations.
Council now faces a difficult reality: without increased revenue, services like street cleaning, park maintenance, library programs and community events may need to be scaled back. Infrastructure such as roads, parks, community centres, seawalls and stormwater systems could also deteriorate.
North Sydney Mayor Zoë Baker said the ‘Let’s talk’ consultation is a critical opportunity for the community to help Council find a workable compromise between service levels, infrastructure needs and the rates required to support them.
“We’re being upfront with our community. We put forward a proposal to increase rates to protect the services and infrastructure that make North Sydney a great place to live. That proposal was not approved. Now, we need your help to make some tough decisions. What matters most to you? What are you willing to pay for? Your input will help guide the difficult decisions ahead.”
The consultation aims to understand what services the community values most, what levels of service and conditions of assets and infrastructure are expected, and whether there is willingness to pay more to maintain or improve them. Feedback will be gathered through a short community survey, independently managed by Micromex Research.
Council has also been working hard behind the scenes to improve productivity and reduce costs. Staff have implemented a range of efficiency measures to stretch every dollar further. But these alone are not enough to close the funding gap.
“Council is committed to transparency and community-led decision-making,” Mayor Baker says. “This is a vital opportunity for every community member to help shape the future of North Sydney. We want everyone to have their say.”
To learn more and complete the survey, visit: yoursay.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/lets-talk
Consultation is open now until midnight on Friday 29 August 2025.
Contact details:
9936 8138
