Council focuses on meeting current and future needs in Delivery Program and Operational Plan 2019/20

Delivering services for a growing community while planning for the future is the focus of Wagga Wagga City Council’s $203.2M budget and delivery program for 2019/20.

The combined Delivery Program and Operational Plan (DPOP) 2019/20, along with the Long Term Financial Plan 2019-2029 and Fees and Charges were adopted at the 24 June Ordinary Council Meeting after being open for community feedback.

Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Greg Conkey OAM said Council’s budget and plans centre on prioritising important services to meet the diverse needs of the community.

“It’s going to be another exciting 12 months in Wagga Wagga,” Cr Conkey said.

“We are in the midst of a transformational period that will define the future of our city and surrounding villages for many years to come.

“A substantial part of this is planning for future infrastructure and accommodating the significant amount of state and federal government investment in our city.

“Wagga Wagga has always been a great place to live, visit and invest and we are set for a positive and exciting future.”

Council has simplified the combined Delivery Program and Operational Plan to clearly demonstrate the cost of services and to improve reporting back to the community on Council’s performance.

The new plans clearly list the services, projects and resources of each area of Council, how they support the vision of the Community Strategic Plan Wagga View 2040, and how they are measured.

Your Council by the numbers in 2019/20

• 31 exhibitions at Wagga Wagga Art Gallery
• 20 workshops at the Civic Theatre
• Economic Development staff to hold/attend 36 industry meetings
• Complete 2500km of roadside spraying for weeds
• 80 school workshops and tours on environmental education
• 11 citizenship ceremonies
• Wagga Wagga Regional Family Day Care to run two play sessions and two reflective early learning sessions per week
• Coordinate kerbside waste collection for 20,015 urban properties and 405 rural properties
• 400 events and 26 programs at Wagga Wagga City Library
• Produce 50 editions of weekly newsletter Council News
• Six exhibitions at the Museum of the Riverina
• Deliver 24 school swimming carnivals at Oasis Aquatic Centre
• Maintenance of the 2300km sealed and unsealed road network
• Plant 900 new street trees
• Maintenance of the sewer network’s 531km of reticulation pipes, 43 sewer pump stations and three sewage treatment plants
• Hold biennial youth forums
• Distribute 12 visitor economy industry newsletters and hold four networking events for tourism partner businesses
• $2.1M in contributions, grants and donations to the community

Major projects for Council in 2019/20

• Finalisation of the Main City Levee Bank upgrade
• Further development and implementation of the Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics Hub (RiFL) and the Special Activation Precinct (SAP) at Bomen
• Negotiations to integrate a new school within the planned northern sporting and recreation precinct
• Implementing Local Strategic Planning Statements to identify future growth areas for the city and finalising structure plans for areas such as the northern growth area and health precinct
• Implementation of the Active Travel Plan, which received $11.8M in NSW Government funding to construct a network of cycle routes and end-of-trip facilities to reduce reliance on private motor vehicles, and instead promote cycling as a legitimate mode of transport
• Continuing Stage 2 of the Riverside Project to reactivate the Wagga Beach precinct and develop the area as a focal point and destination for residents and visitors, as well as creating linkages to the city’s CBD and existing civic precinct
• Commencement of the Pomingalarna Multisport Cycling Complex
• Farrer Road improvements
• Dunns Road traffic improvements