UPDATED: Friday, April 29, 11.24am
Cessnock City Council has agreed to support the Australian Local Government Association's national funding priorities, and has put forward its top 10 projects that could be progressed with the additional funding.
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With the Federal Election set to be held on May 21, the ALGA has developed a framework for a national advocacy campaign that will run in the lead-up.
Based around the tagline 'Don't leave local communities behind', the goal is to secure funding and policy commitments that will support all Australian councils and communities.
Council will participate by writing to all known election candidates and the president of ALGA to put forward its top 10 priority infrastructure projects, and seek funding commitments.
At its April 20 meeting, council endorsed the Greater Cessnock Infrastructure Priorities (as reported in the original story below) and added two more projects to the list: the northern ramps at the Hart Road interchange of the Hunter Expressway, and the upgrade of Old Maitland Road at Sawyers Gully.
The full list includes:
1. Renewal of the local road network ($127 million)
2. Planning the Cessnock CBD bypass ($1 million)
3. Upgrading Wollombi Road between Bellbird and Cessnock ($45 million)
4. A netball precinct at Booth Park, Kurri Kurri ($7.5 million)
5. Upgrading Maitland Road between Cessnock and East Cessnock Public School ($17 million)
6. Widening Main Road between Cliftleigh and Kurri Kurri CBD ($20 million)
7. Richmond Vale Rail Trail construction ($25 million)
8. Richmond Main legacy mining site remediation ($8 million)
9. Hart Road Interchange northern ramps construction ($20 million)
10. Upgrading Old Maitland Road at Sawyers Gully ($10 million)
Cessnock mayor Jay Suvaal said each of these projects will deliver great benefits for our community, and he hopes to see the funding delivered.
"As a council with a small population base but a large geographical area, we have limited resources and funding. This is why it's so important to advocate for additional government support so we're able to deliver better outcomes for our community," Cr Suvaal said.
"Economic leadership, infrastructure funding and a strategic commitment from all levels of government are critical to ensuring our growing community thrives."
ORIGINAL REPORT
Tuesday, April 19, 4.35pm
Cessnock City Council will seek funding commitments from federal MPs and election candidates for a list of eight identified infrastructure projects and programs if a mayoral minute at this Wednesday night's meeting is endorsed.
The mayoral minute asks council to support the national funding priorities of the Australian Local Government Association, and advocate for council's Greater Cessnock Infrastructure Priorities, which it says could be progressed with the additional financial assistance the ALGA is seeking from the federal government.
The Greater Cessnock Infrastructure Priorities include:
1. The renewal of the local road network;
2. Planning for the Cessnock CBD bypass;
3. Upgrading Wollombi Road between Bellbird and Cessnock;
4. A netball precinct at Booth Park, Kurri Kurri;
5. Upgrading Maitland Road between Cessnock and Cessnock East Public School;
6. Widening Main Road between Cliftleigh and the Kurri Kurri CBD;
7. The construction of the Richmond Vale Rail Trail, and
8. Richmond Main legacy mining site remediation.
Council will be asked to write to Cessnock's federal MPs and all known federal election candidates to express support for ALGA's funding priorities, and to seek funding commitments from the members, candidates and their parties for these identified local projects and programs.
The ALGA's "Don't Leave Local Communities Behind" campaign aims to secure funding and policy commitments that will support every Australian council and community, and "ensure all Australians have an equal opportunity to share in the benefits of Australia's post-pandemic recovery," the mayoral minute states, adding that all Australian councils have been asked to participate in this campaign.
A separate mayoral minute at Wednesday's meeting will ask council to support the fast-tracking of the northern ramps at the Hunter Expressway's Hart Road interchange, as plans to redevelop the former Hydro aluminium smelter site continue to progress.
A report on the roadworks in Cooper and Charlton streets is also on the agenda, with council staff recommending that $100,000 be allocated in the 2022/2023 operational plan to fund repairs to the intersection.
The meeting starts at 6.30pm and is open to the public, and livestreamed on council's Facebook page.
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