A NEWLY created infrastructure committee will one day lead to better roads, bridges and other big ticket items for the Hawkesbury according to councillors.
The purpose of Hawkesbury Council’s infrastructure committee will be to lobby the state and federal governments to give the region things it needed, such as a new bridge or emergency service stations on the west of the Hawkesbury River.
It will not happen overnight, according to Independent councillor Paul Rasmussen, however, he said the committee will place items Council could never hope to pay for on the agendas of high levels of government.
“We need to try to convince ministers and treasurers that this is a good thing to, that it is in their best interest to get some of this stuff done,” he said.
Cr Rasmussen said a third crossing of the Hawkesbury River, better roads and an emergency services station west of the Hawkesbury River were a few of the things the committee could pursue.
“The big priorities as you know are bridges, we've got to get another bridge across the Hawkesbury,” he said.
“We've got to have better roads and access roads to our bridges and we've got to get more facilities on the western side of the river. There is no police station or ambulance or emergency services over there.
“The items we are talking about aren't the sort of thing Council can pay for.”
Cr Rasmussen will be joined by fellow independents Peter Reynolds and Mayor Mary Lyons-Buckett, as well as Liberal councillor Nathan Zamprogno on the committee.
Cr Zamprogno said he thought the bi-partisan support from the councillors would bode well for the electorate.
“I am pleased that this committee has been convened with a representatives from both sides of the chamber,” he said.
“Councillors have differing views on the Windsor bridge and Grose Vale bridge projects, but ratepayers expect us to get on with the job of planning for and providing this infrastructure.
“Either we build it, or we lobby for it, and this committee should give us a clearer head and a stronger voice in that process.”
Cr Rasmussen also said the committee may seem like a pie in the sky idea, with too much talk and no action, but was convinced it was a solid stepping stone towards better infrastructure for the Hawkesbury.
“We have been talking about the need for infrastructure like roads, bridges, fire stations for years and years,” he said,
“It has been floating around and we've set many lofty objectives and goals but it has never really been focused on.
“Hopefully the community will get on side and give us a go.”
Hawkesbury Mayor Mary Lyons-Buckett added she was pleased with the establishment of the committee, and that over the past six months, the four councillors had worked productively in to get the committee off the ground.
