More than 400 mayors and council representatives were invited to Parliament House to meet with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and infrastructure, transport, regional development and local government minister Anthony Albanese this week.

Wellington mayor Anne Jones was among the delegates and was obviously thrilled with the announcement that council will receive $395,000 as part of the package.

Cr Jones said the visit provided an opportunity, not only to meet with the nation’s leader, but to network with other local government representatives.

“This get-together was to launch the Australian Council of Local Government and for the Federal Government to hear first hand from the mayors of all communities in Australia,” she said.

Cr Jones said forming a tie between federal and local government would be very beneficial in the future.

“It was to establish a new, stronger and more coherent relationship between the federal and local spheres of government, receive input into the government’s election commitment to constitutional recognition of local government and begin work on a planning reform agenda to improve infrastructure and service delivery across our country,” she said.

The $300 million program announced by Mr Rudd is aimed at building local community infrastructure in all of Australia’s 565 council areas.

It is expected to boost local economic development and support jobs in communities across the country, and stimulate the national economy.

According to Cr Jones, the financial boost is not a one-off.

“It was also very pleasing to hear that this $300 million is only an initial down-payment to meet the urgent needs in communities and create long term infrastructure,” she said.

“Prime Minister Rudd advised that ongoing funding will be determined as part of the May 2009 Budget.”

Cr Jones now hopes to get the ball rolling as quickly as possible and will ask fellow councillors to put forward projects at the next council meeting on November 26.

The funding must be spent before September 30, 2009.

“It is critical that council make a decision before Christmas to allow the necessary planning to commence,” she said.