Does your council have a list of potential community infrastructure projects that need funding?
In the next Federal election, ALGA will be advocating for the establishment of a Community Infrastructure Program with funding of $300 million per annum for four years. ALGA has consistently called for the establishment of such a program since 2007 to help communities address the substantial backlog in community infrastructure investment.
The program would target the renewal and replacement of ageing community infrastructure including:
- community halls
- swimming pools
- ovals and playgrounds
- libraries
- walking and cycling trails
- boat ramps
- seawalls.
Nearly 100 councils have submitted more than 320 ideas so far but it is vital that as many councils as possible provide their potential projects to the register. ALGA is encouraging councils to submit up to three potential projects by Friday 27 April 2018 at the Community Infrastructure Ideas Register on its website.
When ALGA made the same call in 2007, councils responded with more than 1,000 potential projects. The Federal Government of the day went on to acknowledge the community infrastructure backlog and established the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program, which provided $1.12 billion in funding to local government in 2009-10 for more than 6,000 projects.
With the most recent State of the Assets report, commissioned by ALGA, identifying that up to $45 billion of local government’s community infrastructure remains in poor or very poor condition, ALGA is giving every council the opportunity to participate in this initiative.
If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact ALGA on 02 6122 9400.