Kempsey Shire Council has adopted its 2020-21 operational plan which outlines the major capital works to be undertaken across the LGA over the coming year.
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Council has allocated $54 million to complete local projects, including the ongoing maintenance and rehabilitation of sealed and unsealed roads, and water and sewer networks.
At Tuesday's council meeting, council approved the 2020-21 operational plan and associated integrated planning and reporting documents (Revenue Policy, Long Term Financial Plan and Rate Categories maps) following public exhibition, consideration of submissions and internal review.
The 2020-21 year also includes various grant funded projects across the Shire that will result in improved sports grounds, new playgrounds and new amenities.
A key component of council's operational plan will also be the delivery of numerous projects identified in the Recovery Action Plan. These projects are predominantly grant funded projects that will be delivered from Federal and State Government bushfire and drought funding.
Kempsey Shire Mayor Liz Campbell spoke of the importance of the operational plan at the council meeting on Tuesday.
"It's a significant report in our council year and it outlines what we're going to do and how we will get the job done," she said.
"We have another busy year ahead of us, with the $54 million of capitol planned projects for the community.
"The draft plan started out with a $7.6 million deficit in the general fund. Our proposed final budget is a $3.2 million deficit. So that's a good start but I do acknowledge that we have a long way to go yet."
Some of the significant community projects that will be undertaken during the 2020-21 year are:
- Sealing of Point Plomer Road ($3.4M)
- South West Rocks High Performance Centre ($2.7M) - subject to additional funding contributions
- Verge/Eden sports complex implementation of Masterplan ($2M)
- Major roads including South West Rocks ($1.15M), Plummers Lane ($1.87M) and Stuarts Point Road ($1.35M)
- Armidale Road safety improvements ($655k)
- Airport - Apron hardstand with fuel water interceptor ($730k)
- Clyde Street Mall car park renewal ($889k)
- Parks improvements such as: Smithtown Nestle Park ($208k), Willawarrin playground replacement ($179k) and Willawarrin showground ($221k)
- Kempsey Library upgrade ($461k)
- Crescent Head cabin replacement program ($1.85M)
- Crescent Head Water Treatment Plant ($3.62M)
- Willawarrin Water Treatment Plant ($574k)
- Steuart McIntyre Dam Emergency Water Treatment Plant ($2.0M)
- South Kempsey Pressure Sewer ($2.2M)
- Construction of a new cell at Waste Management Centre ($1M)
For some of these projects, the listed capital expenditure amount represents only the 2020-21 portion of that project's total investment.
Several other significant projects have not been incorporated into the 2020-21 integrated planning documents, due to the recent timing of grant funding announcements. These projects will be addressed in the September Quarterly Budget Review and include:
- Sealing of Maria River Road (a joint $17M project with Port Macquarie-Hastings Council)
- South West Rocks Road (between Kinchela and Jerseyville) rehabilitation and resurfacing project ($2M)
- Rural Road heavy patching and resealing program ($935k)
In total, the 2020-21 financial year will see council work to deliver a number of projects across the shire, including $20.4M on the ongoing maintenance and renewal of sealed and unsealed roads, $14.4 million on maintenance and capital improvements to sewer services and $18.8 million on water supply operations, maintenance and capital improvements.
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