HAWKESBURY Council can take advantage of low interest infrastructure loans from the state government, but only if it re-submits a new fit for the future proposal.
In the lead up to announcing it intended to amalgamate many councils across New South Wales last year, including Hawkesbury, the state government had asked councils to present documentation proving they were ‘fit for the future’.
Hawkesbury Council was rated unfit, although the Mayor Kim Ford has always maintained it was an unfair rating because Council satisfied two of the more important criteria.
Member for Hawkesbury Dominic Perrottet said this was an opportunity for Council to prove it had taken onboard recommendations from the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal’s recommendations to be ‘fit for the future’.
He said if rated fit, Hawkesbury could apply for for low interest loans from New South Wales Treasury Corporation to help pay for infrastructure improvements.
Earlier this month, Mr Perrottet launched a blistering attack on Hawkesbury Council’s financial situation after councillors elected to vote to support the federal government’s marriage equality plebiscite.
He said he did not understand why Council was dipping its feet into federal matters.
“The total lack of financial accountability beggars belief. Only last month [July] the Council wrote to me requesting millions of dollars in extra government funding for services,” he said.
“We find they apparently have enough ratepayer dollars to slosh around on ideological campaigns they have no mandate to meddle in.
“It also shows the Council completely lacks the focus to deal with the issues ratepayers actually pay them to deal with - roads, rubbish and rates.”
Hawkesbury Council general manager Laurie Mifsud said Council had elected to resubmit its fit for the future proposal.
He said the proposal would confirm Council’s fitness.
