Penrith City residents will soon have the opportunity to comment on Council’s draft Management Plan for the City. The plan details services and projects that Council will undertake during the next 12 months.
Mayor of Penrith City, Councillor John Thain, said the 2006/2007 Management Plan is a blueprint for ensuring Council’s vision is methodically and rigorously executed, making a great difference to the life of the City’s residents.
“The Management Plan ensures Council stays on track, is publicly accountable, and continues to deliver first class services and infrastructure to residents,” Councillor Thain said. “Council is especially seeking broad community involvement this year because the plan includes a focus on some of the areas that residents have been demanding special attention. That focus includes increased investment in infrastructure renewal and public domain maintenance. This includes roads, buildings, graffiti removal and street cleaning.”
Councillor Thain said that this year’s plan contains a proposal for a 5.2 per cent special rate increase above the ministerial rate peg to fund this investment.
“This need for increased investment in these areas is backed by recent state wide reports that show a lack of adequate funding for infrastructure renewal now, will only lead to massive exponential growth in replacement costs later,” he said. “Council is proud of its great track record in financial management and this proposal continues that sound management. A small increase now avoids much greater financial pain later. Council has realised this for some time and has increased annual funding in recent years on things such as roads. However, we now need to bite the bullet on infrastructure or we will put the City’s financial future under severe strain.”
The proposed special increase is equivalent to just under 70 cents per week, per household in most cases, or just under $1.50 taking into account the Minister’s rate pegged rise and the domestic waste charge. Councillor Thain said the special rate rise is part of Penrith’s Management Plan process and extensive community consultation will be undertaken as part of that process. The special rate rise also has to be approved by the Minister.
For further information email Penrith City Council at manplan@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au
