Deputy Premier promises local government involvement in COVID recovery roadmap - The Macleay Argus

DEPUTY Premier John Barilaro has promised that the State Government is not only working on a roadmap out of the COVID lockdown impacting much of regional NSW, but that local government is an integral part of it. Local Government NSW (LGNSW) facilitated an online meeting with Deputy Premier Barilaro for more than 120 local government mayors, councillors and general managers from across NSW to discuss issues ranging from boosting vaccination rates, potential COVID impacts on upcoming elections and the threat to local infrastructure posed by planned developer contribution rule changes. Kempsey Shire Council mayor, Liz Campbell was in attendance to the meeting. "It was very generous of the Deputy Premier to spend that much time with our regional mayors," cr Campbell said. "It was an opportunity for us to hear and put some questions to the deputy premier around what it's going to look like in the regions when we start to open up. "We were also able to ask questions on the testing that is being done in the community regions and also around the development of contributions that is causing a bit of a change in what is being proposed by the state, and the upcoming elections." The mayor also commented on the carry over and revote of 5.8 million dollars from last years budget at this weeks council meeting. "There is always things that you don't complete in that year that you plan to do, and because we have had to deal with the floods and COVID we had to have a re vote." "Normally we wouldn't have quite as much with the carry over and re vote, but they are the reasons this year, and we've had so much grant funding and so many projects, it's part of doing business every year that you do get a report on re votes, and what we have to carry over. There were really no surprises at all." LGNSW President Linda Scott was very thankful to the Deputy Premier for attending the event. "The high attendance is testament to the level of concern among our regional leaders and it was heartening that the Deputy Premier acknowledged the frontline leadership councils are providing our communities. "Mr Barilaro also committed to follow up the worrying issue emerging from local government elections in December, which will see around 90 of NSW's 128 councils without an elected mayor for up to 6 weeks after the elections." "The NSW Government is planning on pushing through rule changes to infrastructure contributions that threaten to take us back to the bad old days of suburbs with no drainage, and communities with no parks. "Deputy Premier Barilaro told today's meeting that as a former regional councillor he understood the importance of developer contributions - especially in regions where other sources of council income to pay for infrastructure were scarce - and would look into the issue." Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:

DEPUTY Premier John Barilaro has promised that the State Government is not only working on a roadmap out of the COVID lockdown impacting much of regional NSW, but that local government is an integral part of it.

Local Government NSW (LGNSW) facilitated an online meeting with Deputy Premier Barilaro for more than 120 local government mayors, councillors and general managers from across NSW to discuss issues ranging from boosting vaccination rates, potential COVID impacts on upcoming elections and the threat to local infrastructure posed by planned developer contribution rule changes.

Kempsey Shire Council mayor, Liz Campbell was in attendance to the meeting.

"It was very generous of the Deputy Premier to spend that much time with our regional mayors," cr Campbell said.

"It was an opportunity for us to hear and put some questions to the deputy premier around what it's going to look like in the regions when we start to open up.

"We were also able to ask questions on the testing that is being done in the community regions and also around the development of contributions that is causing a bit of a change in what is being proposed by the state, and the upcoming elections."

The mayor also commented on the carry over and revote of 5.8 million dollars from last years budget at this weeks council meeting.

"There is always things that you don't complete in that year that you plan to do, and because we have had to deal with the floods and COVID we had to have a re vote."

"Normally we wouldn't have quite as much with the carry over and re vote, but they are the reasons this year, and we've had so much grant funding and so many projects, it's part of doing business every year that you do get a report on re votes, and what we have to carry over. There were really no surprises at all."

LGNSW President Linda Scott was very thankful to the Deputy Premier for attending the event.

"The high attendance is testament to the level of concern among our regional leaders and it was heartening that the Deputy Premier acknowledged the frontline leadership councils are providing our communities.

"Mr Barilaro also committed to follow up the worrying issue emerging from local government elections in December, which will see around 90 of NSW's 128 councils without an elected mayor for up to 6 weeks after the elections."

"The NSW Government is planning on pushing through rule changes to infrastructure contributions that threaten to take us back to the bad old days of suburbs with no drainage, and communities with no parks.

"Deputy Premier Barilaro told today's meeting that as a former regional councillor he understood the importance of developer contributions - especially in regions where other sources of council income to pay for infrastructure were scarce - and would look into the issue."

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Deputy Premier promises local government involvement in COVID recovery roadmap - The Macleay Argus
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