The Council has just adopted the budget and delivery plan for the new financial year – with continued attention to be given to poor state of Ku-ring-gai’s roads, it says, allocating over $40m to local works over the next five years.
A recent NRMA report has acknowledged council’s figures showing $110 million of works are needed on local roads. When compared to other NSW councils, Ku-ring-gai has an infrastructure backlog of 31%, compared to 6.8% in the rest of the state.
“The backlog has accumulated over many decades since Ku-ring-gai was formed in 1906 with rapid residential development occurring thereafter. “ Council said in a statement.
It should be noted that Ku-ring-gai Council has been taking positive steps to address the situation, directing more funds into road works through operational savings and committing $8.9 million this year to road construction – and over $40 million in the next five years.
A recent infrastructure audit rated the Council as ‘strong’, acknowledging Ku-ring-gai’s $80 million budget set aside during 2012-2013 for capital works and the large building program it has embarked on. Expenditure on roads and footpaths also scored a tick, with Ku-ring-gai spending $112 per capita compared with the average of $86 for the rest of the state.
This is a significant increase since 2000 when Council was only able to allocate $1-$1.5 million annually to roads.
“While not overcoming the shortfall overnight, we are now going a long way to ensuring our roads meet the ‘reasonable condition’ benchmark expected of NSW councils” the council said in a recent release.
Ku-ring-gai will also be helped by the Federal Government’s announcement of additional funding for local roads in the future.
Council says that residents should be noticing more road works visibly underway in streets nearby.
