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Western councils meet to debate issues

Wednesday February 24, 2010

Issues affecting remote NSW shires will be debated in Bourke next week at the annual conference of the Western Division of the Shires Association.
Cobar Shire Council has submitted seven motions to the conference for discussion regarding issues including roads, electricity charges, water, and the distribution of funds.
Council resolved at its recent finance and policy meeting to ask the western division to join the lobby effort to increase Cobar’s annual water allocation.
Councillors also requested a motion be submitted calling for tax zone allowances for a number of professions for the western region, as well as the distribution of mining royalties.
The group will also debate a call from Cobar Shire Council for the state government to introduce a subsidy for low income earners to offset the impending increase in electricity charges.
“The recent IPART decision to approve a 20.2 per cent increase in electricity charges to assist electricity authorities to recoup major infrastructure costs will have a significant adverse effect on all electricity consumers but most particularly low income earners,” Cobar Shire Council’s submission said.
“The NSW state government should be demanded to produce details of where the millions of dollars were spent from the sale of electricity assets during the time of the Carr Government.”
Cobar Shire Council is also calling on the Western Division to support a request for clarification from the state and federal governments on the distribution of roads funding.
“Council believes that, given its extensive road network, all funding, regardless of its source, should be allocated in accordance with local priorities, rather than be forced to allocate funds to specific roads as determined by another authority,” Cobar Shire Council’s submission said.
The Western Division is also being asked to help lobby for increased road funding for rural and remote councils, as well as reclassification and funds for the Wool Track.
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