NSW · New England · Local council, made simple
Glen Innes Severn Council
A New England high-country council covering 5,480 km² — around 9,000 people across Glen Innes and the villages of Deepwater, Emmaville, Glencoe and Red Range, on an economy of grazing, tourism and services. This is Celtic Country: home to the Australian Standing Stones, gazetted under that name in July 2025, and the annual Australian Celtic Festival. The council runs the local services you use every week — waste, water, roads, parks, development — and sets your rates, which IPART approved rising 21.5% in 2026–27 under a three-year special rate variation. 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.
2026–27: 21.5% general income rise approved
Open →Budget & financesHow financially healthy the council is, measured against official benchmarks.
4 of 9 OLG benchmarks met — 48.3% rate variation approved
Open →Crime & safetyGlen Innes Severn's recorded crime rates, side by side with the NSW average.
3 of 12 major offences below the NSW rate
Open →Mayor & councillorsWho represents you — and where to read their official profiles.
Mayor: Margot Davis (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: (02) 6730 2300
Open →Area profileThe basics: how many people live here, how big the area is.
Population: ~8,978 (2023–24)
Open →What's happening
4 updatesRecent items from Glen Innes Severn Council's public channels, in plain language.
- Policy
IPART approves a 48.3% rate variation over three years
On 2 June 2026 IPART approved Glen Innes Severn Council's special rate variation application. The council's general rates income will rise 21.5% in 2026–27, 12.0% in 2027–28 and 9.0% in 2028–29 — a cumulative 48.3% including the annual rate peg increases.
What this means for you: The approved percentages cap the council's total general rates income, not an individual bill; how much your own rates move also depends on your land value relative to other properties and your rating category. The council's rates page and rates notices are where the per-property effect will show up.
Source: New England Times — Glen Innes, Uralla rate rises approved
- Policy
Council lodges its special rate variation application with IPART
Council formally submitted its special rate variation application to IPART on 2 February 2026, proposing a 48.3% increase to general rates phased over three years, following the 'Shaping Tomorrow' community engagement program and the Revised Long-Term Financial Plan adopted in June 2025.
What this means for you: IPART published the application for public review and invited residents to make submissions directly to it before determining the outcome. If you want to follow how a rate variation is assessed, this is the process — the determination followed on 2 June 2026.
Source: Glen Innes Severn Council — Council lodges special rate variation application with IPART
- Election
Anne Vosper fills a council vacancy through a countback
Anne Vosper was declared elected to Glen Innes Severn Council on 1 September 2025 following an uncontested countback, filling the casual vacancy created when Councillor Troy Arandale resigned on 24 July 2025. It was the second countback of this council term, after David Scott was declared elected in November 2024.
What this means for you: A countback recounts the ballot papers from the September 2024 election rather than running a by-election, so no vote is required of residents. The council's Councillors page carries the current list of who represents you.
Source: New England Times — Anne Vosper elected to Glen Innes Severn Council
- Waste
Council starts the study that precedes a FOGO bin service
Council began a waste and resource recovery issues and opportunities study in 2025 to shape a long-term Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy, of which a food-and-garden-organics (FOGO) kerbside service is a key component. It was awarded $145,500 under the NSW Government's Go FOGO grants program in April 2024, and has said the rollout is likely to occur in 2027.
What this means for you: Nothing changes at the kerb yet — general waste stays weekly and recycling fortnightly (monthly in Glencoe). Council has said there will be community consultation opportunities as the strategy is developed.
Email alerts aren't switched on yet
We haven't started sending email, so we're not taking addresses for now. New items from Glen Innes Severn Councilshow up under “What's happening” above as we find them, each linked to its official source.