The deficit is a $92,000 improvement on the draft plan, which was exhibited from April 27 to May 24. It is also a boost from last year's projected deficit of $11.5 million.

The report noted the operational plan "marks an unusual fifth year of the [2017-2022] delivery program" and continues the city's ongoing recovery from the pandemic.

"We're where we wanted to be with our budget, but it hasn't been easy and it will continue to be a challenge for the next few years for us as a council," Mayor Kay Fraser said.

The operational plan was revised down from $367 million in the draft to $365 million but incorporates 15 more actions. It contains $90 million of capital works projects and funding for the new Barnsley Weir Road bridge, a library museum at Cameron Park and continuing the Fernleigh Awabakal Shared Track.

A total of 92 submissions were received about the draft plan. Forty comments were made from residents who wanted to see more spending for the southwestern side of the Lake/Morisset.

The motion also included revised fees and charges for council services including waste collection, and sportsground and hall hire. In a separate matter, council also adopted a rate increase of two per cent, in line with the rate peg set by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).

Councillor Kevin Baker said he believed the rate increase was "appropriate" in order to fund council's costs and mentioned Dungog Council as an example of not setting appropriate rate increases and getting themselves into trouble.

But Cr Baker voted against the adoption of the operational plan after raising issues with the fluctuation in council fees and charges.

He pointed out the charge to inspect food establishments had gone up by about five per cent and domestic garbage collection fees by three to five per cent.

Staff said as a general rule the factors used to help set fees were inflation, comparing them to the market, and covering costs and that the new waste fees reflected a "significant" increase to the landfill levy implemented by the state government.

"I'm a little bit surprised to hear the commentary around inflation," Cr Baker said.

"Inflation is nowhere near five per cent.

"Why is this section of council looking at a five per cent increase to what we're charging businesses when most other areas of council are only looking at one to two, maybe two and a half per cent, which is much more in line with CPI and inflation?

"We're slugging businesses who have done it really, really tough through COVID an extra five per cent

"I can't see any justification for this. If anything council's costs over time in my opinion should go down as we roll out more technology to do these things in a more effective way.

"Similarly with the waste fees, noting that so many of our families are doing it tough right now."

Councillor Jason Pauling also didn't support the motion, after raising issues with the draft budget's overall balance and focus and how accurate its long term projections were, while councillor Luke Cubis declared an interest and abstained from voting.

The budget debate did get off track at stages, with some back and forth about electronic vehicle charging prices between councillor John Gilbert and councillor Baker, who owns an electronic vehicle; and between Barney Langford and Adam Schultz about pool facilities versus beach accessibility in east and north ward.

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