Wakefield’s budget boost thanks to grant funding
This year’s Annual Community Plan will be supported by over $2.869M in grants from both the State and Federal Governments to help deliver capital works and the Port Wakefield Cultural Connection project as outlined in Council’s 2024/25 plan.
Council endorsed it’s 2024/25 Annual Community Plan on Monday for community consultation and Mayor Rodney Reid said Council has put forth a budget that proposes the delivery of the first stages of the transformation of Port Wakefield’s Edward Street.
“Guided by Wakefield 2030 and funded by support from the Federal and State Governments we will now be able to pursue our Port Wakefield Cultural Connection Project,” Mayor Rodney Reid said.
“This project will deliver a new town centre plaza on Edward Street, tree planting, footpath and pram ramp upgrades, the establishment of an Indigenous art trail that will lead to the foreshore precinct where the failing tidal pool boardwalk will be replaced with a new compliant bridge.
Beyond Port Wakefield this year’s draft plan proposes a capital works budget of $12M to deliver Wakefield 2030 priority projects which consists of $3.35M in capital renewal works and $8.66M in new capital projects.
The largest of these capital renewal works is the upgrade of Koolunga Road, Brinkworth, which will be fully reconstructed, and spray sealed from Brinkworth to the Boucaut Road intersection, supporting future higher mass vehicles and primary producers with this project being supported by $750k in funding from the Federal Government’s Supplementary Local Road Program.
Other key capital works include the $560,000 of kerb and median works in Balaklava on the Edith Terrace roundabout, a dedicated $40,000 for pram ramp renewal across townships and $170,000 to construct the western levee bank in Bowmans.
The proposed spending on roads for the upcoming year includes 11.45KM of sealed road and 53.13KM of unsealed road renewal and construction with a combined total of $7.1M to complete these projects. Council will also access the Federal Government’s Roads to Recovery Fund, which may increase unsealed road renewal throughout 2024/25.
Council will target an operating deficit of $1.16M in 2024/25 due to operating revenues of $19.3M and operating expenses of $20.46M, road renewals and community wastewater network operational costs continue to rise plus the carryover of the $200k to dredge the Port Wakefield Tidal Lagoon from 2023/24.
For the 2024/25 Financial Year, it is proposed to increase total rates collected by an average of six per cent.
Read the Draft Annual Community Plan Here
Lodge your feedback for the plan here
Draft Community Plan will be open for community consultation until 5pm, Wednesday June 26, 2024:
Council will dedicate an hour at its Wednesday, June 26 Council meeting to hear feedback from the public, alternatively you can leave your feedback by;
* By email – to admin@wrc.sa.gov.au
* By mail – to PO Box 167, Balaklava SA 5461
* By website – wrc.sa.gov.au
Hard copies are available on request or from post offices in Balaklava, Blyth, Hamley Bridge, Owen, Port Wakefield, Snowtown and Brinkworth or from Council’s Balaklava office.