SPLURGE: Council is set to increase its road budget for the next two years to $8.35 million
Orange City Council’s roads budget for the next two years will more than double to $8.35 million thanks to an injection of reserve funds.
Councillors were expected to sign off on the proposal last night, following weeks of speculation and suggestions of how much more money was needed to expand the city’s road program beyond the current $3.35 million.
The $5 million budget boost, to be funded by money from council’s asset reserves, will mean 33 streets are resealed and 42 rehabilitated to mark the start of the extra work.
Roads maintenance was identified as a hot issue in the lead-up to the recent council election by both voters and candidates alike.
Councillors Glenn Taylor, Jeff Whitton, Neil Jones, Reg Kidd and Kevin Duffy all pitched roads funding as a priority.
While Cr Russell Turner identified roads as the city’s greatest failure.
He recently suggested $5 million as the magic number needed to bring roads up to scratch.
Appropriate treatments for the roads to be included in the expanded program have already been identified by staff with further investigation to fix additional roads expected.
