NSW funding boost announced to fix flood-ravaged roads

Speaking after Albury MP Justin Clancy's funding announcement on Wednesday to help regional councils fix potholes and accelerate roadworks after flood damage, Federation Council general manager Adrian Butler told The Border Mail the boost would not prompt reconsideration of the hike.

Projects at Albury, Federation and Greater Hume councils under the latest funding include $451,000 for Mutsch Street, Lavington; $2.73 million for Whitehead Street, Corowa; and $2.34 million for Brocklesby Balldale Road, Brocklesby.

The projects are part of the state government's $500 million Fixing Local Roads program.

Mr Butler said while it "was a nice boost", there was still plenty of other infrastructure work that needed to be done.

"It goes a small way towards it, but we've got to think about the long term," Mr Butler said. "(Regarding) our SRV (special rate variation), we need that to actually start getting our reseals and lay gravel and get asset maintenance back on track," he said.

"That helps catch up a bit. But when you've got a big backlog, the whole state has 40 years of rates begging, where it never met the costs each year.

"Something's got to give, so we're saying this is nice, extra money to fill a couple of cases here and there, but we've got 2000 cases, so we're talking next 40, 50 years of getting back on track."

Mr Clancy said it was up to councils to strike a "balance" when it came to their funding arrangements.

"It's for councils to put forward the quantum of the SRV and give justification for that," he said. "That's for councillors to have that conversation, but we are committed to the understanding that rate pegging does have a fairly tight constraint for councils to consider.

"There's a conversation in different communities who have different expectations and different interpretations and levels of service and infrastructure.

"And that's for the elected councillors to work out the balance there."

Mr Butler said a large factor in the SRV was aimed at improving roads for farmers.

"We've got enormous farming sector, they're demanding and they deserve 24/7 access on most of these roads," he said.

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"They're meeting contracts with dairies and piggeries and big suppliers. It's not like the old days where you might farm over summer and crop off.

"And a lot of those roads were never, ever designed to be all-weather roads. So the bulk of our rate increase is designed to be targeted at roads, we've made that very clear."

Mr Clancy said the NSW government was committed to injecting $1.8 billion into roads across the state.

"Work funded will include sealing, resurfacing, road maintenance, drainage improvement and patching of local roads," he said.

"Today's announcement builds on $330 million being provided to regional councils to fix potholes and the more than $500 million being invested into our Fixing Country Roads program."

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said Fixing Local Roads was "a game changer" for regional communities.

"Regional NSW has been doing it tough and we know how much better roads mean to people living in the regions," he said.

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