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
Liverpool Plains's direction is set out in its Community Strategic Plan 'Horizon 2040' and a four-year Delivery Program 2025/26–2028/29 with annual Operational Plans and budgets — shaped by water security for Quirindi and Werris Creek, an extensive rural road and bridge network, and an explicit push to put the council's finances on a sustainable long-term footing.
Horizon 2040 sets four objectives: 'our community offers a great rural lifestyle', 'our shire has strong, trusted and accountable leadership', 'our natural and built environments are valued, sustainable and liveable', and 'our economy is thriving, diverse and growing'. The Delivery Program is the elected council's statement of commitment for its term, and every project, service and funding allocation over the four years must link back to it; progress is reported through six-monthly reports and the Annual Report. The council manages local roads and bridges, water and sewer, waste, parks, libraries, childcare, biosecurity and planning across a 5,082 km² shire of about 7,700 people.
The council reported an operating performance ratio of −8.0% and own-source revenue of 51.4% in 2023–24, both below the OLG benchmarks, alongside strong cash and liquidity ratios. It commissioned an independent Financial Sustainability Review in 2025 and has published a Financial Sustainability Strategy 2026–2030 built on five objectives — a sustainable operating position, a stronger cash position, asset investment to maintain service levels, more efficient service delivery, and stronger governance and planning frameworks. The council names ageing infrastructure, limited unrestricted cash reserves, disaster impacts, cost shifting and a relatively small rate base as the pressures behind it.
Underway now
Smart water meter rollout
Contract awarded July 2026; installations through 2026/27Council awarded the contract for automated (smart) water meters across the shire at its July 2026 Ordinary Meeting, to be delivered by Telstra in partnership with Taggle, with installations starting in the 2026/27 financial year. Meter readings will be collected remotely instead of manually. Council says the technology gives customers more visibility of their water use and can flag possible leaks earlier, and gives the council better information about how the water network is performing.
Source: Liverpool Plains Shire Council — Major milestone reached for smart water meter project
Financial Sustainability Strategy 2026–2030
Independent review commissioned 2025; strategy covers 2026/27 onwardsFollowing an independent Financial Sustainability Review commissioned in 2025, the council published a Financial Sustainability Strategy setting five objectives: achieve and maintain a sustainable operating position; preserve and strengthen the council's cash position; invest in assets to maintain service levels; improve service-delivery efficiency and cost-effectiveness; and strengthen governance and planning frameworks. Council says it will implement the actions progressively and report on progress through its Integrated Planning and Reporting framework.
Source: Liverpool Plains Shire Council — Financial sustainability
Recently delivered
Quipolly Water Project
Completed 6 March 2024A new water treatment plant at Quipolly, able to treat up to 6ML a day through at least seven treatment processes, together with about 750m of raw-water pipeline, 20km of treated-water pipelines, a new 0.4ML reservoir at Werris Creek and a new intake manifold and destratification system in Quipolly Dam. Council states the project improves water security, quality and reliability for Werris Creek, Quirindi, Willow Tree and surrounding areas. Estimated project value $34.7 million: $25 million committed by the State and Federal Governments and $9.7 million by the council.
Source: Liverpool Plains Shire Council — Quipolly Water Project
Single Street traffic calming, Werris Creek
Considered by the Local Traffic Forum March 2026; works completed 2026After a petition coordinated by the Lions Club of Werris Creek and signed by 292 residents called for a pedestrian crossing and a 40 km/h limit in the Werris Creek CBD, the Liverpool Plains Shire Local Traffic Forum considered the request in early March 2026. Council reports that Transport for NSW and NSW Police did not support a formal pedestrian crossing at that location, and that a speed reduction required further assessment. Council instead installed a pedestrian refuge next to the public toilets, changed to rear-to-kerb parking on the eastern side of Single Street and added four disability parking spaces, with no loss of parking; it has committed to developing a traffic master plan for the precinct, including vehicle-movement data, to put back to Transport for NSW.
Source: Liverpool Plains Shire Council — Single Street Traffic Calming