Queanbeyan Council's financial sustainability is not so weak after all. After initially accepting a NSW Treasury assessment that its finances were in a poor position, the council now says this was based on four-year-old data.
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General manager Gary Chapman said the council was submitting an updated 10-year financial plan to the Treasury Corporation.
''The current plan, developed over the last 12 months, in no way resembles the old 10-year financial plan and predicts a completely different long-term financial outcome with operating surpluses,'' Mr Chapman said.
''The new plan addresses the financial management failings of previous councils where insufficient funds were put aside to replace ageing assets,'' he said.
Other councils in the region were found to have moderate financial sustainability, but negative three-year outlooks, which meant they would struggle to maintain their roads and water infrastructure in coming years.
Queanbeyan Council wants to reduce the amount of rubbish it is sending to the ACT.
The council pays the ACT $110 a tonne of waste and last financial year dumped 8000 tonnes at the Mugga Lane tip.
Queanbeyan recycles half its waste at its own recycling plant and wants to do more to save money, raw materials, water, energy and to reduce greenhouse gases.
Mayor Tim Overall said a 10-year waste management plan would be developed after consulting residents and businesses.
Waste to landfill needed to be reduced to comply with NSW government targets.
''Every tonne of waste we send to ACT landfill costs council $110. This will continue to increase in the years ahead as landfill space diminishes and operating costs continue to increase. Landfill charges in Sydney are now over $220 per tonne,'' he said.
