Cook Shire Council’s 2025–26 accounts show more money in the bank and strong support from the state and federal governments
For every $1 Cook Shire Council collected in rates and charges in 2025–26, it received about $10 in grants from the Queensland and Australian governments. Most of this money was spent repairing roads and other community assets across the Shire.
Council’s financial statements for 2025–26 also show that staff costs were held below inflation and Council has stronger cash reserves. The statements will be presented at a Special Council Meeting on Thursday 15 October 2026 at 10am in Council Chambers, Cooktown. The public are welcome to attend.
“Our community can have confidence in how Council manages its money, and we’ll keep reporting openly, including on the operating deficit.”
Mayor Robyn Holmes said the results showed Council was making every local dollar go further.
“Bringing in around ten dollars of outside funding for every dollar paid locally means better roads and faster recovery after the wet season, without putting that cost on local households,” Cr Holmes said.
Roads repaired, community assets renewed
In 2025–26, Council spent $68.7 million repairing damage from natural disasters, mostly roads damaged by wet weather. Council also spent about $17 million on new and upgraded infrastructure, plant and equipment. Of this, $14.2 million came from government grants.
Staff costs below inflation, no job cuts
Employee costs rose by just 0.9% to $18.75 million, well below inflation of 3.8%.
Stronger cash buffer
Unrestricted cash rose $5.6 million to $35.9 million, enough to cover nearly five months of operating costs. This keeps works and services running while Council waits on grant and disaster recovery payments, which arrive at different times each year.
The statements show an operating deficit of $9.1 million. This is mainly due to the timing of disaster recovery and Financial Assistance Grant payments, and higher depreciation after Council’s assets were revalued.
Audit on track
The Queensland Audit Office is finalising its audit of the 2025–26 statements. Council expects a strong result, having reduced its outstanding audit actions from five to one.
“That’s a credit to our staff, who have worked hard over the last two financial years to get here,” Cr Holmes said. “Our community can have confidence in how Council manages its money, and we’ll keep reporting openly, including on the operating deficit.”
Once the Auditor-General issues the audit report, Council has one month to adopt its Annual Report under section 182 of the Local Government Regulation 2012. The Annual Report is expected to be presented to a Special Council Meeting in November 2026. The full statements are in the meeting agenda here .
For more information contact Cook Shire Council via email to mail@cook.qld.gov.au or by phoning 4082 0500.
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