Mayor expresses disappointment over lack of flood protection funding

3 December 2015

For immediate release

Mayor expresses disappointment over lack of flood protection funding

Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Rod Kendall has expressed his disappointment following Council’s levee grant application being rejected by the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH).

Council received notification last night its application to the Floodplain Management Program for $2M over two years was not successful, putting the brakes on the vital levee upgrade project.

The stage one funding would see 2.1km of the Main City levee bank upgraded to one-in-100-year flood event protection.

Cr Kendall said councils and local land services across the state had to fight for a share of only $4.93M in funding.

“Flood protection should be a higher priority for the State Government – we only have to look back at the devastation in 2010 and 2012 and the lasting impact it has on those affected,” he said.

“I don’t begrudge the other successful applicants, but we should all be disappointed and frustrated at the lack of funding.”

Deputy Mayor Dallas Tout echoed Cr Kendall’s sentiments.

“Almost three quarters of the $4.93M went to one project, with the nine other successful applicants sharing in $1.27M,” Cr Tout said.

“There simply isn’t enough funding available and as a result, the Wagga community are sitting ducks until funds come available.

“The detailed designs are done, the project is shovel-ready - all we need is the State Government to come to the party.”

Council will continue to pursue funding opportunities so that the levee project can get underway as soon as possible.

At this stage Council is still considering an application for a Special Rate Variation.

Feedback from the community on the proposed Special Rate Variation (SRV) to fund Council’s one-third share of the project will be presented in a report to the December Ordinary Meeting.

The General Manager and the Mayor are making an appointment to meet with Minister Mark Speakman SC MP, Minister for the Environment, Minister for Heritage and Assistant Minister for Planning, to discuss funding issues.

We are working on a number of strategies to upgrade the levy to protect the CBD as soon as possible.

-Ends-

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Contact Lauren Pezet on 6926 9197.0409 079 663 or media@wagga.nsw.gov.au or follow us on Twitter - @WaggaCouncil