What the council is working on
Recent deliveries, what's underway now, and what's planned next — drawn from the council's own plans, budgets and project pages. We report what the council has publicly said it's doing; every item links to its source.
The council's stated direction
Leeton's direction is set out in its Community Strategic Plan 'Liveable Leeton 2035' and a Delivery Program with an annual Operational Plan and budget, shaped by an award-winning FOGO rollout, major town-centre placemaking, and an active review of the council's long-term financial sustainability.
The council manages local roads, water and sewer, waste, parks and planning across a Riverina LGA built on the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, with an economy anchored in irrigated agriculture and food processing (SunRice, CopRice, JBS Riverina Beef Feedlot, Southern Cotton, Bega Dairy & Drinks). Its Delivery Program is the elected council's statement of commitment for its term.
The council reported a small operating deficit (performance ratio −0.4% in 2023–24) and a high reported infrastructure backlog (40.5%), and in 2025 commissioned an independent Financial Sustainability Report and formed a Financial Sustainability Advisory Committee — following a 2022 special rate variation proposal that was not adopted by councillors — so long-term financial planning is a recurring theme in its Integrated Planning & Reporting documents.
Underway now
Financial Sustainability Advisory Committee
Report released 30 June 2025; committee ongoingFollowing an independent Financial Sustainability Report (commissioned from the University of Newcastle, chaired review by Professor Joseph Drew) that found the council is not financially sustainable over the long term, Leeton formed a Financial Sustainability Advisory Committee to guide further preparation work — ahead of any decision on a future rate-variation application. This follows a 2022 special rate variation proposal (52.52% cumulative over two years) that councillors did not adopt.
Source: Have Your Say Leeton — Financial Sustainability Advisory Committee
Recently delivered
Award-winning FOGO kerbside service
Rolled out 1 July 2024; ongoingCouncil rolled out a green-lidded food-and-garden-organics (FOGO) bin to eligible households from 1 July 2024, alongside the existing red general-waste and yellow recycling bins (now collected fortnightly, on alternate weeks). More than 4,300 green bins were delivered; the service achieved a 0.3% contamination rate and diverted about 752.7 tonnes of organics from landfill in its first year. It won the 2025 LGNSW Environment Award (Behaviour Change in Waste — Division A and Overall Winner) and was cited among the achievements behind the council's 2025 AR Bluett Memorial Award.
Source: The National Tribune — Council Wins LGNSW Environment Award for Outstanding FOGO Rollout
Chelmsford Town Square & Roxy Community Theatre renewal
Roxy Theatre reopened after a $12 million refurbishmentMajor town-centre placemaking, including the Chelmsford Town Square upgrade and a $12 million restoration of the heritage Art Deco Roxy Community Theatre, was cited among the achievements behind the council's 2025 AR Bluett Memorial Award — NSW local government's top honour for rural/regional councils, awarded to Leeton for the third time (after 1951 and 1963).