Shire ahead on cash crisis

AS GOVERNMENTS throughout the world work hard to stave off the effects of the global financial crisis, the Shire of Yarra Ranges is also doing its part to support the local region by stimulating economic activity.
The shire’s major capital works program announced as part of its 2008-09 budget will see a record amount of money going into maintaining and improving existing community infrastructure and delivering new purpose-built community facilities.
While the Australian economy is in a sound position and is well placed to weather the global storm, the same can be said about the shire’s financial position, which has been strengthened through a prudent long-term debt reduction strategy.
The strategy has allowed us to significantly reduce our borrowings, while at the same time directing record funding to community projects.
In addition to a host of small, medium and large-scale projects announced in our budget, we have also benefited from a very welcome Federal Government contribution of $1.74 million as part of its Regional and Local Infrastructure Program.
The funding was announced by the Rudd Government towards the end of last year as part of a package of initiatives to help stimulate the Australian economy.
Over the past six weeks councillors and council officers have been busy identifying a range of projects that we believe will be of significant benefit to our local communities.
While we are still finalising the list, the types of projects we are looking at will include securing much-needed water supplies to a number of local sporting grounds to support grass-roots sporting participation, upgrading selected playgrounds and improving a number of public buildings to better cater for community use.
All up we expect to be able to fund about 24 specific projects.
In addition our $41.3 million capital works budget allocation will enable us to deliver on a range of infrastructure projects including local road upgrades, new community and family hubs and improved cultural and performance facilities.
By working closely with our Federal and State counterparts the shire will continue to play a strategic role in supporting our local economy while investing in important community infrastructure.