Council - Plans, reports and policies

Annual Financial Statements

Code of Conduct

The Local Government Act 1993 requires every council to adopt a code of conduct that incorporates the provisions of The Model Code of Conduct for Local Councils in NSW.

Councillors, members of staff of council and delegates of the council must comply with the applicable provisions of council's code of conduct.

It is the personal responsibility of council officials to comply with the standards in the code and regularly review their personal circumstances with this in mind.

Council contractors and volunteers will also be required to observe the relevant provisions of council's code of conduct.

Failure by a councillor to comply with an applicable requirement of council's code of conduct constitutes misbehaviour.

Failure by a member of staff to comply with council's code of conduct may give rise to disciplinary action.

The following policies below are related to Cowra Council's Code of Conduct:

Code of Conduct - Council Staff(PDF, 379KB)

Code of Conduct - Councillors(PDF, 798KB)

Code of Conduct - Council Committee Members, Delegates of Council and Council Advisers(PDF, 750KB)

Code of Conduct – Procedures for the Administration of the Model Code of Conduct for Local Councils in NSW(PDF, 663KB)

Council Reports

Annual Report 2024-2025(PDF, 16MB)

Annual-Report-2023-2024(PDF, 5MB)

Annual Report 2022-23(PDF, 4MB)

Annual Report 2021-22(PDF, 5MB)

End of Term Report 2016-2021(PDF, 16MB)

Plans

Operational-Plan-Delivery-Program-Long-Term-Financial-Plan-Adopted-22-June-2026.pdf(PDF, 63MB)

Cowra 2036 Community Strategic Plan(PDF, 20MB)

Cowra Shire Council Workforce Plan 2022(PDF, 1MB)

Community-Engagement-Strategy(PDF, 8MB)

Cowra Local Strategic Planning Statement(PDF, 47MB)

2020 Village Action Plan(PDF, 2MB)

Disability Inclusion Action Plan(PDF, 2MB)

Pedestrian and Cycling Plan(PDF, 15MB)

Regional-Drought-Resilience-Plan.pdf(PDF, 19MB)

Delivery-Program-2022-2023-to-2025-2026-2025-Six-Month-Review-to-30-June-2025.pdf(PDF, 2MB)

Cowra CBD Place Vision and Activation Plan 2025(PDF, 12MB)

Cowra Sportsfield Masterplans 2026(PDF, 46MB)

Plans of Management

In 2018, new legislation came into effect regarding the management of Crown Lands. Under the Crown Land Management Act 2016, all Crown Reserves, where Council is the Crown Land Manager, must be managed as if they were public land under the Local Government Act 1993.

Council are required under the Local Government Act 1993 to classify all land owned and managed by Council, including Crown Land, as community or operational. The majority of land that is managed by Council is community land, which is dedicated for community uses such as parks, natural areas and sportsgrounds.

All community land must be managed in accordance with a Plan of Management. Plans of Management identify land use categories, the important features of the land, any buildings or improvements and outline how Council will manage the land.

Council has been undertaking review and preparation of new plans of management. The adopted Plans of Management are found below.

Bellevue Hill(PDF, 39MB)

Policies and Guides

Access Incentive Scheme Grant Funding Guidelines Policy(PDF, 322KB)

Code of Meeting Practice(PDF, 392KB)

Companion Animal Management Plan Policy(PDF, 7MB)

Councillors’ Access to Information & Interaction with Staff Policy(PDF, 289KB)

Cowra Film Policy(PDF, 183KB)

Footpath Trading Policy(PDF, 839KB)

Government Information Public GIPA Policy 2026(PDF, 343KB)

Naming & Renaming of Bridges, Roads, Streets and Places Policy(PDF, 261KB)

Net Zero Emissions Pilot Project Policy(PDF, 10MB)

Payment of Expenses and the Provision of Facilities to the Mayor and Councillors(PDF, 776KB)

Public Interest Disclosures Policy(PDF, 590KB)

Street Banner Policy(PDF, 530KB)

Swimming Pool Inspection Program Policy(PDF, 208KB)

Purchasing and Procurement Procedure Policy(PDF, 763KB)

Water Supply Policy(PDF, 467KB)

Authorised officers register.

The Local Government Act 1993 and other NSW legislation allow Council to authorise officers to enter premises and exercise specific statutory functions on Council's behalf.

Authorised officers are appointed by the General Manager and may only exercise the powers granted under the Act(s) named on their individual authorisation.

These authorisations relate to the functions an officer is empowered to carry out, such as entering property, carrying out inspections, or issuing notices. They are separate from Council's delegations of decision-making authority.

Each authorisation identifies the officer, their work area, and the Act(s) under which they are authorised, and remains valid until revoked or superseded.

Cowra-Authorised-Officers-List.pdf(PDF, 94KB)