The budget for this financial year was signed off earlier in the week at the June ordinary council meeting.

Rates will increase by two per cent, in line with the rate pegging limit, while sewerage and water charges will rise by 2.5 per cent.

The residential water consumption charge from $2.12 per kilolitre to $2.17/kl for former Dubbo City Council residents, while for those in the former Wellington council area, usage up to and including 300kl will change from $2.30/kl to $2.36/kl.

The domestic waste service will also rise. For residents with three bins it will now be $411, while for those with two bins it will be $335 for the year.

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Based on community feedback, hire fees at the Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre were reduced for community and not-for-profit groups from $456 to $220, while fees for schools and registered charities were reduced from $345 to $200.

Changes to fees for the hire of the Junior Rugby League canteen have also been taken into account with the request of a $500 bond now excluded.

At the meeting, councillor John Ryan also introduced an amendment for council to support the River Repair Bus for the next 12 months at $45,000. He said the work the river repair bus has done speaks for itself.

"I think it's important that council continues to work with not-for-profit groups... we return for the ratepayer far more than we put in," Cr Ryan said.

He also called for council to allocate any savings found in the September budget review towards the street tree planting program. It's been cut from $680,000 down to $100,000.

Cr Ryan said he didn't want to see the city "go backwards" when it came to the tree planting program.

Mayor Stephen Lawrence acknowledged that the budget was balanced, but at a cost.

"It's been a difficult budget in many ways and I think people will understand the financial circumstances are not what they would have been but for the pandemic. And that things that councillors have held dear and have attempted to progress though the term of council have had to fall by the wayside in respect to the timing at least because of those financial pressures," he said.

"I know there are disappointed people out there who are interested in and supportive of particular projects that won't go ahead in the next financial year."

Council has allocated $19 million for urban roads and capital works in four years, which includes $8.6 million in 2021/22. The Boundary Road extension is on the list of major projects to be completed.

There's also another $10.8 million for rural roads in the budget. $1.8 million alone will be spent during the financial year to reseal roads.

Almost $1 million will go towards the footpath and cycleway construction and renewal program and another $1 million will be spent on continuing the Disability Access Infrastructure Replacement Fund.

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