Agenda item

Roads for the Community Update

Minutes:

SUMMARY

On 24 September 2019 Council considered a report on the Federal Government Road Construction Funding Initiative and Addendum to Special Rate and Charge Scheme Policy for Infrastructure improvements.

The report summarised a $150 Million Federal Government funding initiative for Yarra Ranges Council to seal roads within the Dandenong Ranges and surrounding areas, announced as part of the 2019 Federal Budget. The report prioritised a list of approximately 187 km’s of roads to be sealed based on the funding and estimated road construction costs at the time.

The report referenced landowner contributions to roads sealed under the funding initiative be fixed at $7,000 per development unit, while also presenting a priority list of unsealed roads for construction for Council endorsement.

On 10 January 2023 Council received formal notification dated 19 December 2022, from the Federal Government that the $150 Million Federal Government funding initiative would be reduced with Council only receiving total funding in the program of $47.656 Million ($47.7M).

As a result of these funding cuts, Councils ability to construct all roads on the endorsed priority list will not be possible.

This report considers what projects can be delivered based on the funding available in the program and where projects have been committed. It will also examine the future direction of prioritising roads for construction that are not able to be constructed from the available funding.

Council will continue to advocate for the Roads for the Community Initiative funding to be reinstated as one of our priority initiatives. Council Officers are working collaboratively with the Cardinia Shire Council on a campaign and have made submissions to the Australian Government’s budget process to request that the funding be restored so residents can have their road sealed as planned.

 

Cr Eastham left the meeting at 8:14pm prior to consideration of the item, having declared a conflict of interest in this item.

 

 

 

Moved: Cr Skelton
Seconded: Cr Fullagar

That

1.         The budget for works in the Roads for Community Initiative be allocated based on the available funding of $55,404,270 from the Federal Government funding provided to the program and Landowner contributions only.

2.         Council consider a report at a future meeting prior to 1 July 2023 to modify the payment dates for seven Special Charge Schemes that will proceed to construction, but will not begin delivery when the Special Charge Scheme is levied on 1 July 2023.    

3.         Council consider a report at a future meeting prior to 1 July 2023 to discontinue six Special Charge Schemes that do not currently have funding in the Roads for the Community Initiative. Landowners that form part of the schemes are also advised of Councils intention to discontinue the schemes in an update letter.

4.         To assist with the prioritisation of the delivery of road sealing projects that fall outside the Roads for the Community Initiative funding or where landowner petitions for road sealing are received by Council and to support future funding submissions and advocacy, Council officers prepare a revised priority list of road sealing projects and a proposed amendment to Councils Special Charge Scheme Policy to be presented to Council at a future Forum meeting, taking into consideration the following criteria:

(a)      Length of road and abutting number of properties

(b)      Volume of traffic

(c)       Grading frequency

(d)      Number of reactive road and stormwater maintenance requests

(e)      If a landowner petition for sealing the road had previously been received by Council

(f)        Landowner and Council funding mix for road sealing projects

The motion was Carried unanimously.

Cr Eastham returned to the meeting at 8:19pm following a vote being taken.

Supporting documents: