Fir For The Future has called on every council across NSW to consider the future in terms of possible amalgamations and lodge a submission by June 30 detailing their intentions.

Bathurst mayor Gary Rush and council general manager David Sherley have in recent months held talks with their counterparts from Lithgow, Oberon and Blayney to gauge their intentions and found no one was interested in discussing amalgamation.

So council’s submission to Fit For The Future, to be rubber-stamped by councillors at tonight’s monthly meeting, outlines Bathurst’s ability to stand alone.

The 41-page submission includes financial information that paints a bright future for the Bathurst region, details of some of council’s major projects and population forecasts that predict the region will continue to grow at an average annual rate of 1.14 per cent.

The submission also takes issue with the assessment of council’s financial strength by the State Government’s own Treasury Corporation (TCorp) authority.

“Council recorded a surplus in 2012-13 of $5,196,000 and in 2013-14 a surplus of $5,139,000 (before capital grants and contributions),” the submission states.

“The TCorp classification of council’s outlook as weak is not supported by the above results.

“Council has returned a strong surplus in both years and is looking to continue that trend well into the future.

“Council’s control over its revenue flows is sound as the percentage of grants and contributions over total income is 19.6 per cent, whereas its percentage from rates, charges and user fees is 62 per cent.

“This, aligned with council’s positive operating budget, provides council with considerable discretion in its spending capacity.”

The submission does not paint such a positive picture of Bathurst’s water utility performance, though, listing a water and sewerage infrastructure backlog of almost $50 million.