Orange City Council has approved funding for a range of projects as part of its quarterly budget review.
Councillors were involved in a ‘mini-budget’ workshop in July this year, which was used to align the 2022-2023 budget with the Community Strategic Plan (CSP) that was adopted in June. Changes to the budget arose from the workshop, which formed part of the review.
Operational expenditure additions were allocated to engage an affordable housing consultant ($50,000), funds for an Urban Forest Strategy ($30,000) and funds for fish stocking ($10,000).
An Urban Forest Strategy provides a strategic framework for how Council, the community and land managers can improve tree canopy coverage of urban areas in Orange.
MINI-BUDGET: Funds were allocated to engage an affordable housing consultant in the quarterly budget review.
Additionally, there were funds allocated for capital projects including the showground structural works on old pavilions ($170,000), shade cloths over playgrounds ($40,000), Orange Aquatic Centre expansion project scoping ($500), additional heavy patching of roads ($200,000), Lucknow footpaths project ($200,000), Jack Brabham Park shelters ($90,000) and $50,000 towards a splash park.
Orange Mayor Jason Hamling is pleased the extra projects have been given the go-ahead.
“Due to the local government election in December, the 2022-2023 budget came together quicker than usual, so this mini-budget brings a range of late developments into the mix and brings us into line with the initiatives of the CSP,” Cr Hamling said.
“I’m looking forward to seeing these important extra projects take shape this financial year, as well as much-anticipated progress on a number of key major projects across the city.”
Chair of the Infrastructure Policy Committee, as well as the Lucknow and Spring Hill Community Committees, Councillor Jack Evans, is thrilled to deliver on community feedback.
“I’m glad we’ve been able to listen to the residents’ opinions and turn that into action, such as the funding for the footpath in Lucknow, which was raised during a Lucknow Community Committee meeting and is now going ahead,” Cr Evans said.
“It’s great we’ll be able to deliver projects such as these that will make a real difference to residents in Orange and our outlying villages.”
