The draft charges have been released in Goulburn Mulwaree's draft 2021/222 operational plan, currently on public exhibition.

A first show of up to four hours for a commercial entity would cost $800 or 11.5 per cent of gross box office earnings, whichever is higher. But subsequent shows on the same day drop to $500 or 11.5pc box office earnings. Rehearsals for commercial groups would incur a $65 per hour fee Monday to Friday and $80/hour on weekends.

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A community event or school presentation ranges from $200 to $400 to hire the PAC for up to four hours. Concessions are also proposed for community groups that hire separate parts of the centre, like the foyer and supper room.

The $18.9 million Performing Arts Centre (PAC) in Auburn Street is due to be completed in October, with a grand opening early in the new year.

The council's corporate services director Brendan Hollands said newly appointed PAC manager Raina Savage had input into the draft fees. She drew on experience managing similar facilities in the Riverina.

"It is based on community expectations but also benchmarking of other similar facilities around the state," Mr Hollands said.

"It will be a real test of the waters this year and we'll review it in 12 months but I think we've gone fairly close to getting a really good mix (of fees) that will encourage use as well as people and to get some good shows there."

Ms Savage said she'd tried to strike a balance between income and costs, at the same time ensuring the facility was usable for the community.

"Obviously we want fees to be accessible for community organisations so we will have a sliding scale of fees," she said.

"We want the facility to be used as much as possible and not be a white elephant. We want it to be a community hub."

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In the first year, the council expects to subsidise its operation to the tune of $500,000, or less depending on usage. Mr Hollands said that figure could reduce over time but break-even was probably "a long way down the track."

"The main thing is to get people into the community. It's the economic spin-off that's important and that will be the big test," he said.

The draft budget sets out a low-interest loan of $2.5m for the PAC in 2021/22, $4.28m for the Goulburn waste management centre's upgrade and $2m for Towrang Bridge's replacement, complementing a $2m federal grant.

Mr Hollands said the budget aimed to deliver large projects but also consider their depreciation and future operating costs. As such, the council has been working with a consultant to develop a financial sustainability strategy that also took an asset management plan into account.

But he told The Post there was minimal debt in the general fund. The debt service ratio is projected to be about nine per cent, which is "well within our means."

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The document sets out almost $91.7m in revenue, $88,630,378 in expenses and $36.25m in grants and contributions. It results in a $39.32m surplus in 2021/22. The council has $95.7m in investments.

Water and sewer availability and usage charges will rise by three per cent to fund large projects such as the $8m Marulan's water treatment plant upgrade and $8.8m Goulburn's water re-use scheme. For ratepayers, it will equate to a $28 increase for sewer availability in Marulan and $23 in Goulburn.

Mr Hollands described these as "modest" rises given there had been minimal increases in the past five years.

Almost $74.1m is planned in capital works in the next financial year. Other large projects include:

Mr Hollands said funding for urban and rural roadwork was evenly split across the council area.

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Meantime, the council, like many others, is battling several broader financial challenges. The 2021/22 rate peg of 2pc limits the amount that can be raised in general rate revenue. Goulburn Mulwaree has factored in $37,179,374 from rates and annual charges.

However Mr Hollands said 70pc of the increase would be eaten up by a rise in the emergency service levy, which all councils had to pay.

Since 2018/19 it had risen by 62.6pc to $732,984 in 2021/22. While the state government subsidised the hike last year following councils' outcry, this would not be forthcoming again.

Mr Hollands said Goulburn Mulwaree was better off than some, which had all their general rate increase chewed up by the levy.

He has little hope that councils' lobbying will make a difference.

"The government's response to date has been rather disappointing," he said.

"We've had a letter from the Minister stating that IPART took the levy into account when calculating the rate peg but we wonder how that can be the case when councils have had all of their rate increase eaten up."

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On the upside, the council received an extra $200,000 from development fees in 2020/21,courtesy of an upsurge in home renovations and development applications during COVID-19.

The 2021/22 draft operational plan is on public exhibition until May 7 and submissions are invited. It can be accessed at this link.

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