Wakefield Mayor welcomes $1 million cash injection for drought relief
Published 6th November 2018
| 6 November 2018 |
We want to hear what projects can help to improve our town’s local infrastructure, increase productivity and economic activity
Wakefield Mayor Rodney Reid has welcomed the announcement of $1 million in Federal funding towards projects in drought affected communities that will provide local employment or infrastructure and keep money flowing through local shops and suppliers.
Projects funded under the Drought Communities Programme must be completed by 30 June 2019, so Council is currently talking to local farmers and primary producers about their needs and priorities.
However, Council would also like to hear ideas from other members of the Wakefield community for programs and projects that fulfil the goals of the scheme and support our district.
“This is a community focused program and so we want to make sure the projects we propose reflect what our community needs,” Mayor Reid said.
Mayor Rodney Reid said the impact of drought extended beyond the farm gate, with many town traders and communities in general being affected in times of when the agriculture sector was doing it tough.
“We want to hear what projects can help to improve our town’s local infrastructure, increase productivity and economic activity in our region, and enable better retention of businesses, services and facilities.”
“All feedback is valuable and will be considered by Council to determine which projects reap the biggest benefit for our wider community and which are achievable in the timeframe, Mayor Reid said.
“However, time is of the essence and we don’t want to miss any submissions, so make sure you hand up your project ideas before our closing date of Monday 12 November 2018.
The Drought Communities Programme originally excluded South Australia but the expansion of funding into the state will support the repair, maintenance and upgrade of local infrastructure and facilities and other drought relief projects.
Projects must meet one of the following criteria:
• improve levels of economic activity in regions
• increase productivity in regions
• enable better retention of businesses, services and facilities
Only Councils are eligible to apply for the funding and each and every project must be completed by 30 June 2019, so only projects with a quick turnaround time will be viable.
Submit your idea by emailing us at – admin@wrc.sa.gov.au with the subject title ‘Drought Funding Project Idea’ or something similar.