May 23, 2012
The South Burnett Regional Council is planning an unprecedented works program in the South Burnett over the coming financial year.
At today’s monthly SBRC meeting, Councillors were told that funding would be sourced from the Council’s Budget and grants from flood recovery funds.
Finance spokesperson Cr Keith Campbell said “Council is budgeting for a total spend around $80 million during the 2012/2013 year.
“This will be four times the amount of works undertaken during a normal year.
“The work will be done jointly by Council staff and contractors, with local contractors being given work where possible.”
Roads, water and sewerage infrastructure and town revitalisation will be the big items, with work starting on July 1 and continuing throughout the year.
Cr Campbell said the spend would “filter through to our community, injecting cash into our local economy and improving our roads and sewerage treatment plants”.
“The time is right to bite the bullet and make the decision to progress these programs,” he said.
Council has been poring over all current spending programs to determine the best value for money.
Mayor Wayne Kratzmann said rate increases were inevitable “but every rock is being overturned to keep them as low as possible”.
Council’s Budget for 2012/2013 will be debated at a Special Meeting currently scheduled for June 25, although this has yet to be confirmed.
Photo: The SBRC is currently building a turning lane off the D’Aguilar Highway into Peterson Drive at Coolabunia. The work entails making major extensions to an existing culvert and is expected to take several weeks.
