Executive Summary - Hills Shire Plan 2026-2027

How to read The Hills Shire Plan

Towards Hills 2050 Community Strategic Plan

This document reflects the community’s vision and aspiration for the Hills Shire.

All of the related documents set out below are informed by the community strategic plan.

The Executive Summary

The Executive Summary of Towards Hills 2050 summarises the Hills Shire Plan Delivery Program actions and provides a Budget Snapshot.

4 year Delivery Program

The Delivery Program is based on the CSP objectives. It is a statement of commitment of each new Council to the community - how it will deliver on the CSP priorities during its term. It details the principal activities (actions, projects, services) of council, driven by strategic goals and service levels developed with the community i.e., what’s achievable and supported by the Resourcing Strategy, partnerships, and grant funding.

Annual Operational Plan

Operational Plan outlines the actions Council will carry out in the coming year to bring us closer to achieving the objectives and long-term goals in our 10-year Community Strategic Plan and 4-year Delivery Program. The Operational Plan also explains how we will fund these actions with a detailed annual budget, along with Council’s Statement of Revenue Policy, which includes the proposed rates, fees, and charges for that financial year. It’s a road map for Council and considers and integrates relevant elements of the Resourcing Strategy

10 Year Resourcing Strategy

Council’s Resourcing Strategy supports the Community Strategic Plan, Delivery Program and Operational Plan by detailing how Council can help achieve the community’s goals in terms of time, money, assets, and people over the long term. The Resourcing Strategy is reviewed every 4 years. It incorporates:

• Long Term Financial Plan

• Asset Management Strategy

• Workforce Management Strategy

Annual Fees and Charges

This document is an annual listing of all fees associated with:

• chargeable services

• requests

• applications

• approvals

• licences

• hire bookings

• memberships

These fees are set by local councils each year and help support the provision of services and facilities.

Towards Hills 2050 snapshot

The Executive Summary of the Towards Hills 2050 summarises the Hills Shire Plan Delivery Program Actions and provides a Budget Snapshot. For more detailed information please refer to the complete Towards Hills 2050 document available on Council’s website.

Metropolitan Rural Areas

Sydney Metro

Strategic Centres

Village/Town Centres

Motorway (M2/M7)

Hawkesbury River M

Our community

218,264

People living in The Shire 2025

326,725

Forecast population by 2046

Who we are 4.36% Population growth 2022-23

115,081 new residents, or 54.37% growth, between 2024 and 2046

only 2.77% for Greater Sydney

Volunteers 13.7% proportion of residents who do some form of voluntary work - higher than the Greater Sydney average 9th

Only about 30% of The Shire is urban, while the remaining 70% features rural land, bushland, and natural beauty, all bordered in the north by the Hawkesbury River. As Greater Sydney’s population grows, these areas face increasing pressure, highlighting the need to balance preservation and urban development.

The Hills Shire is changing rapidly, with new homes, workplaces, and shops being established. The North West Growth Area, a 10,000-hectare greenfield site, will eventually house 70,000 homes and create 30,000 jobs.

Local jobs 88,518 in 2023-24

Bachelor or higher degree 40.5% of residents Greater Sydney average 33.4%

Urban areas will densify around centres like Castle Hill, Norwest, and Rouse Hill, especially near Sydney Metro Northwest. With more residents moving into apartments, it’s essential to manage transport options—roads, Metro services, buses, and pedestrian or bike pathways—to tackle the Households

in 2025

Employment All data from .idCommmunity and .id forecasts (https://profile.id.com.au/the-hills) and based on ABS Census and National Institute of Economic and industry Research (NIEIR) data

Our economy

The Hills Shire’s position in the Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage (SEIFA) for all NSW LGAs. of residents speak a language other than English at home

$24,851.6m construction ($6,184m) the highest contributor Unemployment 3.2% in 2025

billion in 2023 Dwellings

0.76 jobs to worker ratio – this means fewer jobs than resident workers, with the biggest divergence in knowledge industries. a 2% contribution to the state’s overall GSP Economic output

Managing our money

Enriched lifestyles

Strategic

Connected people and places

Strategic

Proactive leadership and governance

Enriched lifestyles

EL1. A vibrant community $52.5M

19.6% of total expenditure budget of $267.7M

$9.6 million

Aged and disability

$7.6 million

Providing child care services

$10.6 million

Library Services

$6.4 million

SES and bushfire operations

$2.6 million

Community events

New actions 26-27

$1.8 million

Communications & marketing

$2.4 million

Community venue hire

$8.3 million

Waves Fitness and Aquatic Centre

$1.7 million

Community services and donations

$1.4 million

Pensioner subsidy

EL1.4.4Undertake a review and update of the Sackville Cemetery Master Plan, and establish the future direction for cemeteries across the Shire

EL1.4.5Deliver a Box Hill focused component of the Fight for a Fairer Hills campaign to support communication and engagement with residents

EL1.4.6Investigate and implement opportunities to enhance the night-time economy by assessing the Purple Flag accreditation program and developing safe, vibrant, and well-managed night-time precincts

Reportable actions

EL1.1.11Provide a briefing to councillors on more options to engage with young people in the Shire by working with youth stakeholders and Hills PAC along with any financial impacts

EL1.1.12Investigate locations for a new library, funding model and update Council’s Library Strategy and provide a briefing to councillors

EL1.1.13Undertake a review of Waves Fitness and Aquatic Centre operations and provide a briefing to councillors

EL1.2.2Investigate emergency dashboard requirements and functionalities for an emergency dashboard, analyse costs and benefits, and provide a briefing to Council

EL1.4.2Review of the Purple Flag program and if applicable to areas within the Shire, present findings to a councillor workshop

EL1.4.3Review the current CCTV network and coverage and partner with local policing authority to implement a CCTV surveillance network around high traffic areas such as metro stations and shopping centres

EL2. A valued and nurtured environment $78.7M

29.4%

$49.3 million Waste and recycling

$2.6 million

Environmental sustainability

$3.1 million

Environmental public health and monitoring

New actions 26-27

$8.0 million Regulatory services

$9.4 million Development assessment

$6.3 million Subdivision and development certification

EL2.2.5Review the current Environment Strategy (2019) and incorporate biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, environmental education, and water quality

Reportable actions

EL2.5.7Investigate a potential grant funded project along with neighbouring councils to support a reuse, repair, redesign, and recycling hub for the region at Hawkesbury’s Waste Management Facility and provide a briefing to a future councillor workshop

EL2.2.3Investigate and report to Council a water quality monitoring and testing program for waterways in The Shire

EL2.2.4Investigate and report to Council on a biodiversity strategy to guide and enable strategic growth and development while conserving biodiversity values

Connected people and places

5.8% of total expenditure budget of $267.7M

$5.3 million

Land use and developer contributions planning

$9.3 million

Infrastructure planning

New actions 26-27

$0.8 million

Promote economic and business growth

CPP1.4.11Council will advocate to the NSW Government for better Metro station access and capacity solutions, improved public bus connections, and the reinstatement or expansion of on-demand shuttle bus services to Metro stations

CPP1.5.5 Investigate the feasibility of establishing a new cemetery site within the Shire

CPP1.5.6Investigate using the Castle Mall Air Bridge as a pop-up stall space for Councillors and community groups to support communication and engagement with local residents

CPP1.5.7Determine a new site and design for an SES headquarters, and present Council’s delivery strategy and recommended approach at a future Councillor Workshop

CPP1.6.4Undertake a feasibility analysis on enclosing the 25-metre outdoor pool at Waves

Reportable actions

CPP1.4.2Undertake assessment of existing bus services, focusing on linkages to Metro Stations and advocate as appropriate

CPP1.4.3Council to advocate the NSW State Government to plan the road corridor between Richmond Road and the Central Coast with a commitment to fund this project in the short to medium term

CPP1.4.4Prepare a concept plan and cost estimates for the future transport connection between Windsor Road and Carrington Road, in accordance with Council's adopted Norwest Precinct Plan, to assist with advocating TfNSW for funding as well as applying for relevant grants and provide a briefing to councillors

CPP1.4.5Review and update Council’s Integrated Transport and Land Use Strategy as part of the Local Strategic Planning Statement. The review of the statement should also include strategies to encourage modal shift and improve walkable catchments, connections to transport nodes and enhanced public transport priorities. Provide a briefing to councillors

CPP1.5.4Advocate for solutions to address the Box Hill Contribution Plan funding gap

CPP1.6.2Include a review of parking needs and requirements in the Bella Vista Master Plan update and provide a briefing to councillors

CPP1.6.3Council to prepare a signage strategy addressing potential advertising opportunities, including sponsorship advertising signage by clubs and Council on open space land

Connected people and places

CPP2. Timely provision and maintenance of infrastructure $110.2M

41.2% of total expenditure budget of $267.7M

Big ticket items

$1.9 million

Les Shore Reserve, Glenorie - sportsfield renewal

$1.2 million

$15.6 million

Acquiring land for open space embellishment

$1.1 million

Traffic facilities

$1.2 million

Footpaths and cycleways

$0.5 million Bridges

$4.6 million

Purchase of plant and equipment

$15.9 million

Maintain existing roads

$1.1 million

Currawong Reserve, West Pennant Hills - waterway rehabilitation %

$4.4 million

Maintain community buildings

$2.9 million

Community buildings capital renewal

Balcombe Heights Estate - heritage buildings renweal & new public amenities

$1.0 million

Boundary Road upgrade design

$17.0 million

New and renewal of existing roads

$4.8 million

Shire presentation and public place cleaning

$18.8 million

Maintain existing parks and bushland

$3.0 million

Stormwater and waterways

$8.2 million

Infrastructure design and project management

$0.1 million

Investment property

$2.6 million Street lighting

$4.2 million Parks

Proactive leadership and governance

PLG1.

Proactive leadership

4.1% of total expenditure budget of $267.7M

$10.9M

$10.9 million Governance activities

Reportable actions

PLG1.3.4Investigate and provide a briefing to councillors on future new website solutions, along with the viability and financial implications of developing a Council App

PLG1.6.5Provide a report to Council on changing Council’s rating structure for consideration to implement by July 2026

• Unrestricted current ratio will remain well above benchmarks over the long-term, indicating sound liquidity.

• Rates and annual charges income represents 50% of total income. The general rate increase for FY26-27 of 4.7% equates to $1.10* per week for an average residential assessment of around $1,339 per annum.

• High priority given for capital infrastructure spending of $63.7M

• Sufficient asset renewal spending to maintain assets at acceptable standards.

• Operating surplus of $22.8M and this trend is forecast to continue.

Looking ahead

This budget drives actions now for our Shire’s future. It provides the infrastructure and services to meet our future challenges. It outlines a commitment to retaining our quality of life through projects and planning that foster continued business and population growth.

• Operating surplus $22.8M

• Financial sustainability is strong and expected to continue.

• Unrestricted current ratio will remain well above benchmarks over the long term indicating sound liquidity.

• Council is debt free and has been since 2002.

• Asset renewal ratio well above industry standards indicating we are renewing our assets, relative to the rate they are depreciating.

Our assets and liabilities

as at 30 June 2025 *This is

www.thehills.nsw.gov.au

3 Columbia Court Norwest NSW 2153 PO Box 7064, Norwest 2153 P +61 2 9843 0555

E council@thehills.nsw.gov.au

If you do not speak English and need an interpreter, contact the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 and ask them to call Council on 9843 0555.