Members of the community are being asked to “have a say” on how Holroyd City Council will address a $97 million funding gap if it can continue delivering local services and infrastructure to meet the challenges of the area’s booming population.
Holroyd City Council’s Director Corporate and Financial Services, Tim Butler, said the Local Government Area (LGA) had grown by 19% over the past 10 years and was expected to grow by another 37% over the next 20 years, creating an increase in the demand for services and facilities.
"Our key infrastructure and services are under enormous pressure,” Mr Butler said today.
"Council is now funding more services that ever before, at a time when we need to start replacing and renewing ageing assets right across the LGA.
"Our four main types of community infrastructure are roads and bridges, parks and recreation, buildings and stormwater drains, but the range of services we deliver has grown to include services for our seniors and residents with a disability, childcare, graffiti management, libraries, planning and development, sports facilities and playgrounds, tree management and waste and illegal dumping.
"The funds that could be used to maintain and renew our ageing assets have been stretched across delivering our additional services and infrastructure which has left us with a total funding gap of $97.1m over the next 10 years.
"That’s why we urgently need to develop and implement strategies that will sustain Council’s funding of local services and infrastructure now and into the future, otherwise, if we don’t find solutions to our funding gap, we will need to begin reducing the level of services and infrastructure program across the LGA."
Mr Butler said Council had started the process of engaging with the community to identify local solutions, offering three options relating to a special rate variation, including a small 45 cent a day increase to maintain current services and renew and build more infrastructure.
"Research conducted for Council has already identified that managing the population and providing a good, sustainable level of services are key priorities for the Holroyd community," Mr Butler said.
Effectively, Holroyd has had no real rate raise for 36 years and our Council is now the fifth lowest funded LGA in the Sydney metropolitan area.
"We’re listening to the community to ensure we find local solutions – it’s very important that our future is in our hands."
Council has already commenced engaging the community on three possible solutions. For more information or to have a say, community can:
Visit the Your Say and Contacts - Local Solutions section of the Holroyd City Council website – www.holroyd.nsw.gov.au
