MAY 26, 2015 \ MACEDONRANGES.STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
(Shawn Smits)
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
RUSSELL MOWATT
Road cuts leave holes By Matt Crossman
1185731-ACM21-15 10025821-14
Changes to the way roads, bridges and local infrastructure are funded have put a $1.62 million black hole in Macedon Ranges projects, deputy mayor Russell Mowatt said last week. The former Calder Action Group president said May’s state budget left out $1 million in recurrent funding for country roads and bridges plus a further $625,000 for local infrastructure development. ‘‘This represents five per cent of our rates,’’ Cr Mowatt said. ‘‘This is another classic example of cost shifting by a state government, which will be further exacerbated by the introduction of their CPI rate capping policy next year.
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‘‘As a council, we are subsidising the growth of inner Melbourne.’’ Cr Mowatt said the funding had not been factored into the council’s 2015-16 budget because it was not guaranteed by the new Labor government. He said the council was concerned that it was being left to shoulder the maintenance and repair burden of 854 kilometres of sealed roads, with 37 kilometres already beyond the stage of remedial intervention. He said projects that had been funded since 2010 include the Kyneton-Baynton Road, Romsey-Wallan Road at Springfield, Market Street at Kyneton and Peter Godden Drive at Woodend. Many of the shire’s 140 bridges and major
culverts have also been strengthened or replaced, including the Barringo Road bridge at Gisborne, Forbes Road bridge at Romsey, Pipers Creek Road bridge at Kyneton and Howey Street culvert at Gisborne. Cr Mowatt said projects funded or partially funded by local infrastructure money in the past four years include construction of the New Gisborne netball complex and Kyneton’s Barkly Square pavilion, and the refurbishment of Tylden’s public hall. ‘‘We have the Loddon Mallee South regional growth plan and our settlement strategy showing and preparing for growth in our shire,’’ Cr Mowatt said. ‘‘The state government has cut us off at the knees with these funding cuts.’’
A spokeswoman said the government was committed to supporting regional communities. ‘‘That’s why we have guaranteed that $70 million of the government’s new $500 million Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund will be invested in our 38 rural councils.’’ She said guidelines for the fund, which is expected to start from July 1, were being prepared. ‘‘Additionally, as part of Project 10,000, the government has committed $1 billion to upgrade and repair unsafe and congested roads and bridges in regional communities. ‘‘We will continue to work with councils to identify their infrastructure needs and allocate funding accordingly,’’ she said.
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