City of Newcastle Government Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal found that Newcastle City Council was not "fit for the future", it was recommended that the City of Newcastle merge with Lake Macquarie City Council. However, the Minister for Local Government subsequently proposed that Newcastle City Council instead merge with Port Stephens Council to form a new council with an area of and support a population of approximately 230,000. The outcome of an independent review was completed by mid–2016. On 14 February 2017, the NSW Government announced it would not be proceeding with further regional council mergers, including the Newcastle City Council and Port
Newcastle, Wyoming in Newcastle. The facility was operated by the Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform until that agency was dissolved as a result of a state constitutional amendment passed in November 1990. The United States Postal Service operates the Newcastle Post Office. Public education in the city of Newcastle is provided by Weston County School District #1. The district's schools include Newcastle Elementary (split into two campuses for grades K-2 & 3-5), Newcastle Middle School (grades 6-8), and Newcastle High School (grades 9-12). Newcastle experiences a dry continental climate (Köppen "Dfa") with cold winters and hot, wet summers. The town boasts