DUNGOG Shire’s roads continue to cop criticism and Shire Mayor Digby Raywood has laid responsibility firmly on what he believes are inequities in the way funding is calculated.
Cr Raywood has highlighted that Dungog Shire Council continues to lobby for increased support to maintain the region’s extensive road network.
Speaking in his latest ‘Council Connect’ update, Cr Raywood acknowledged the ongoing efforts of Council’s outdoor staff while highlighting what he described as inequities in current funding formulas.
“I don’t have to tell you that the state of our roads is the biggest message we get all the time,” Cr Raywood said.
He praised Council workers for their efforts but said additional funding remained critical.
“We’re certainly lobbying hard for more dollars to go to Dungog for our roads,” he said.
Cr Raywood pointed to the disparity in Block Grant funding between neighbouring councils as an example.
“The road from Maitland to Dungog, if you’re in the Maitland shire and you get to Tocal, Maitland is getting $36,450 per kilometre for their road maintenance,” he wrote.
“As soon as you get past Tocal and into Dungog, we’re getting $11,048 per kilometre.
“We think that’s completely unreasonable, and we will need more voices to achieve a fairer outcome.”
Mayor Digby said Council would seek greater community support in the lead-up to next year’s State election to strengthen its advocacy efforts.
Road maintenance remains a challenge, particularly following wet weather events that continue to impact local infrastructure.
Cr Raywood also reported that Council representatives recently attended the Local Roads Congress at Parliament House in Sydney, where road funding, technology and emerging infrastructure solutions were key discussion points.
He said advances in artificial intelligence could help councils better identify road maintenance priorities in the future.
“We’ll be on the bandwagon and we’ll need your support as well,” Cr Raywood said.
The Mayor’s comments come as Council continues work on major infrastructure projects, including the Clarence Town Bridge upgrade and the planned replacement of the Gresford Bridge.
By Sis HIGGINS
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