Council is seeking additional funding to supplement upgrades to six bridges across the local government area.
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Councillors endorsed a mayoral minute at February's council meeting last week, recommending the general manager signs a funding application for the maximum $10 million to Australian Government's Building Better Regions Fund.
The application had to be submitted by March 5, and for projects that are "shovel ready" within 12 weeks, mayor Brian Ingram said.
"I was made aware by staff that the opportunity was there to apply for funding under the Building Better Regions Fund," the mayor said.
"Any projects put forward have to to be shovel ready within 12 weeks so that restricted staff from opening up to a lot of different areas, because they just couldn't possibly be shovel ready in 12 weeks, whereas the tenders are all out for these bridges and staff believe if we were successful in obtaining funding that we could meet all the criteria."
Current funding secured for all six bridges is $20,986,511.
The bridges include Spring Creek, Cudgell Creek, Haddons, Wambanumba, Burrangong Creek and Bundarbo Road.
A report prepared for councillors says "current secured funding may not be sufficient to deliver all six bridges", due to "significant volume of infrastructure projects out in the market and the passage of time in developing the bridge tenders".
General manager Anthony O'Reilly told councillors council was not guaranteed any funding, and the application is a "precautionary measure".
"We are out to tender to market for four. So this is a precautionary measure given passage of time for these bridge tenders and grants. We're just making sure and having the opportunity. And of course, we're not assured of grant funding in any case," Mr O'Reilly said.
The recommendation was endorsed unanimously.
"We trust a very competent application will go forward and we may be successful. Thank you staff for that," mayor Brian Ingram said.
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