NSW · New England · Local council, made simple
Armidale Regional Council
The regional service and education hub of the New England tablelands — around 29,600 people across the cathedral city of Armidale (home of the University of New England), the town of Guyra and villages like Ebor, Hillgrove and Wollomombi, on Anaiwan country. The council runs the local services you use every week — waste, water, roads, libraries, parks, the regional airport, development — and sets your rates. Here's the snapshot, then the stuff that affects your week.
Everyday essentials
The things people actually need from the council — fast.
Get to know your council
The basics, in one tap — open any card for key facts and a link to the official source.
This year's rate rise, how it compares across NSW, and why bills differ.
2025–26: +16.66% (final year of an approved Special Rate Variation)
Open →Budget & financesHow financially healthy the council is, measured against official benchmarks.
Meets 7 of 9 OLG financial benchmarks
Open →Crime & safetyArmidale Regional's recorded crime rates, side by side with the NSW average.
See the numbers in local context
Open →Mayor & councillorsWho represents you — and where to read their official profiles.
Mayor: Sam Coupland (Independent)
Open →Elections & votingWhen the next council election is, and how voting works.
Next election: Sat 9 Sep 2028
Open →Contact & servicesHow to reach the council and report a problem.
Customer service: 1300 136 833
Open →Region profileThe basics: how many people live here, how big the area is.
Population: ~29,600
Open →What's happening
3 updatesRecent items from Armidale Regional Council's public channels, in plain language.
- Development
Council adopts airport masterplan proposing a runway extension
Councillors adopted a masterplan for Armidale Regional Airport proposing to extend the main runway by about 455 metres over the next five to ten years, plus terminal and car-park upgrades, to allow larger regional jet aircraft.
What this means for you: If delivered, the plan could bring larger aircraft and more services to the regional airport; the masterplan is a long-term guide and individual works would be funded and delivered in stages.
Source: Armidale Regional Council — Works and projects (Armidale Regional Airport)
- Policy
Council progresses Oaky River and Malpas dam water-security projects
The council is progressing a two-stage water-security program — restoring the council-acquired Oaky River Dam with a pipeline to the Armidale Water Treatment Plant, then raising Malpas Dam — and reports detailed designs for the projects.
What this means for you: The projects are intended to increase resilience and secure long-term water supply for Armidale and Guyra through future dry periods; the council's water-security pages set out the plan and how it is funded.
- Policy
Final year of the Special Rate Variation lifts asset-renewal spending
2025–26 is the third and final year of Armidale Regional Council's permanent Special Rate Variation (58.8% over three years, approved by IPART in June 2023). The council reports the first full-value SRV year enabled a significant increase in spending on asset renewal, particularly roads.
What this means for you: Ordinary rates rose in three steps across 2023–24 to 2025–26 to permanently lift the council's rates income and fund infrastructure renewal against a very high backlog; from 2026–27 the council returns to the standard IPART rate peg (3.2%). How much any individual bill changed depends on each property's land value.
Source: Your Say Armidale — Special Rate Variation 2023–2026
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