Draft Fees and Charges Schedule 2025-26
Feedback closes Sunday 1 June 2025
On 28 April 2025, Council endorsed the Draft Fees & Charges Schedule 2025-26 for 28 days public exhibition.
Feedback is sought on the proposed Fees & Charges Schedule, applicable in the 2025/26 financial year, inclusive of proposed increases in existing fees as well as proposed new fees. All existing and proposed fees and charges have been assessed according to the nature of the services being provided.
The Draft Fees & Charges Schedule 2025/26 was formulated with respect to a general increase of 2.9% over the previous year’s adopted schedule, which was based on the change in All Groups CPI Sydney index, from September 2023 to September 2024, and comparable market rates.
All existing and proposed fees and charges have been assessed according to the nature of the services being provided. The following principles have been considered in the analysis of the proposed fees and charges:
- Full cost recovery: the fee charged aims to recover all the direct and indirect costs associated with providing the service.
- Partial cost recovery: the fee charged aims to only partially recover the full cost involved in providing a service. Situations where partial cost recovery may apply include: a. where benefits from the provision of the service accrue to the community as a whole as well as individual users; and/or b. a short-term approach to stimulate demand for a service where charging at full cost recovery may result in service evasion.
- Market competitive: the fee charged is based on market competition. Comparatives are made with businesses offering the same or similar services.
- Bonds and deposits: refundable payments that may be requested as a security for making good any damage caused to Council property and/or completing any works required in connection with an approval.
- Regulated and prescribed: fees that are prescribed by State or Federal Government legislation. In the event of legislation introducing a new or amended statutory/regulatory fee subsequent to adoption or printing of this document, the Council may apply these new charges without further notice.
- Conditions of grant funding: fees that are subject to eligible State and Federal grants whereby the Council is bound by their contractual terms and conditions, including applicable limits to chargeable fees.
Fees set by statute, such as Schedule 4 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation, will be updated as they are published, and reported to Council when the final Schedule of Fees is submitted for adoption.
New Fees
The following table details the proposed new fees:
Category | Fee or Charge | Page Reference | Reason for introduction |
Book Fair | Puzzles & Games | 16 | New item offered at Fair. |
Rates Notices | Rates Refund Fee | 28 | Admin fee to process refunds for overpaid rates, in line with other councils. Requests normally come from managing agents. |
Works Zone Permit | Security Deposit (for DAs with values up to $4M) | 36 | Introducing a less onerous deposit for DAs with costs lower than $4M. |
Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure | Application fee, installation charges, removal fee & annual permits (8) | 49 | New Fee – Council is developing a policy for EV Charging on Public Land, and these are the fees that will be associated with this policy. It is expected that the policy will be endorsed by Council in May 2025. |
Notices and Development Control Orders | Various notices and assessments of Development Control Orders (5) | 99 | New fee – to recover costs permitted under Sch 5 of EP&A Act for NOI/ Orders |
Swimming Pool Compliance | Administration fee – Written Direction | 101 | To recover costs of issuing pool directions. Benchmarked to other councils. |
Food Act - Temporary Food Premises | Reinspection of temporary or mobile food vendor & registration fee (2) | 103 | To recover costs of reinspection. |
Building Information Certificate | Building Information Certificates – various (4) | 104 | Streamline various compliance certificates. |
Certification – Construction Certificate | Construction Certificates & related fees – various (3) | 105 | Streamline various compliance certificates |
Certification – Occupation Certificate | Occupation Certificate applications (2) | 106 | Streamline various compliance certificates |
Certification - Complying Development Certificate | Various Complying Development Certificates & related fees (5) | 106 | Streamline various compliance certificates |
Certification - Subdivision | Various Subdivision Certificates & related fees (6) | 107 | Streamline various compliance certificates |
Certification – Principal Certifier | Appointment as Principal Certifier and related fees – various (10) | 107 & 108 | Streamline various compliance certificates |
Fire Safety | Fire Safety Inspection | 109 | Benchmarked to other councils |
Fire Safety | Annual Fire Safety Statement – registration | 109 | Benchmarked to other councils |
Fees with Material Increases
The following table lists the fees that have materially increased:
Category | Fee or Charge | Page Reference | Summary of Change & Rationale |
Parking Meters | Parking Meter Removal/Relocation Fee | 32 | Fee has been modified to reflect requirements when removing or relocating new on-street parking assets. |
Parking Meters | Parking Meter Full Replacement | 32 | Fee has been modified to reflect requirements when removing or relocating new on-street parking assets. |
Parking Meters | Parking Meter Configuration | 33 | Fee has been modified to reflect requirements when removing or relocating new on-street parking assets. |
Multi-Purpose Poles | 46 | No installations have occurred. Changed quantitative fee to descriptive fee “Negotiated on a case-by- case basis”. | |
North Sydney Oval Hirer Seniors | Daily Hire Fee – Turf Wicket | 57 | 24% increase to recover additional costs of preparing wicket. |
Waverton Coal Loader Events | Various Stall Hire Fees (3) | 76 | Increases ranging from 100% to 614%. To harmonise to other NSC event stall hire fees. |
Waverton Coal Loader Platform | Garden Allotment Fee | 76 | 60% increase. The former fee was noted at $30per square metre. The proposed new fee is per garden bed allotment as a flat fee, to align with community demand and ease of allocation. |
Discontinued Fees
The following table lists the proposed fees to be discontinued:
Category | Fee or Charge | Page Reference | Rationale for discontinuing |
Filming in Public Areas Ultra Low Disruption | Assessment of Traffic Management Plans | 9 | There is no requirement for applicants to provide a Traffic Management Plan when applying for permits to film in public areas with ultra-low disruption. |
Sale of Library Publications | Various (4) | 17 | Items no longer available. |
Loss of or Damage to Library Materials | Books/Discs | Various (7) | 18 | Consolidate and streamline various damaged and lost fees. |
Revenue Services | Aggregation of Rateable Properties | 28 | Fee has not been applied in practice. |
Revenue Services | Environmental Upgrade Agreement (EUA) – Various (4) | 28 & 29 | No application has been received; commercial alternatives are offered by financial institutions. |
Parking Meters | Parking Sensor Removal – Various (4) | 32 & 33 | This fee is no longer required due to the installation of new on- street parking assets. |
Parking Meters | Parking Meter Bay number replacement | 33 | This fee is no longer required due to the installation of new on- street parking assets. |
Stand Plant Permit | Urgency fee (2 working days’ notice required) | 38 | Priority processing of this permit category is no longer offered by Council. |
Multi-Purpose Poles | Weekly Banner pole hire – Charities/Not for Profit (per banner) (2) | 47 | NFP classification duplicated elsewhere in Schedule |
National Heavy Vehicle Permit | Access permit | 47 | The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) no longer allows local councils to charge for permits. |
Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) Assessment | Assessments requiring referral to North Sydney Traffic Committee | 47 | CTMPs are assessed as part of Council’s Development Application process and do not require separate referral to the Committee. |
Mobile Park Hire | Parklet Hire | 49 | Service is discontinued. |
North Sydney Oval Complex - Oval Functions | Daily Hire Fee – (Nighttime hours, min 3 hours – max 6 hours) | 58 | A review of this fee identified no operational need for separate day and night venue hire fees. Replaced with a singular hire fee. |
North Sydney Oval Complex - Function Centre | Daily 12 x 8 Metre Outdoor Multimedia Screen Hire Fee – Mon to Sun (Max 8 Hours booking period) | 59 | A review of this fee identified that hourly hire was more suitable for both hirers and Council. |
Construction Certificates | Various Construction Certificate and related Fees (47) | 90-94 | Streamline various compliance certificates |
Complying Development Certificates | Various Complying Development Certificate and related Fees (9) | 94 | Streamline various compliance certificates |
Occupancy Certificates | Various Occupancy Certificate and related Fees (8) | 95 | Streamline various compliance certificates |
Subdivision or Strata Certificate | Various Subdivision or Strata Certificate and related fees (10) | 96 & 97 | Streamline various compliance certificates |
Section 88B Instrument | Administration Fee | 99 | Streamline various compliance certificates |
Swimming Pool Public Health | Swimming Pool Signs – Sale price | 101 | No longer offered |
Building Information Certificate | Various Building Information Certificate and Related Fees (5) | 104 & 105 | Streamline various compliance certificates |
Fire Safety | Compliance Cost Notice Fee (Investigation of an EP&A order) - to a max of set fee under 281C | 109 | Streamline various compliance certificates |
SUBMISSIONS INVITED
Submissions close 11.59pm, Sunday 1 June 2025
Prior to making a submission please ensure you have reviewed the Draft Fees & Charges Schedule 2025/26 - found in the document library.
Use the online submission form (below) or alternatively, send submissions to:
Email - yoursay@northsydney.nsw.gov.au
North Sydney Council
PO Box 12
NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2059
Hard copies are available for viewing at Council’s Customer Service Centre and Stanton Library during opening hours.
For further information contact Council’s Chief Financial Officer, Aigul Utegenova on 9936 8100.
