Flood repairs behind $210 million capital works spend

BY TIM HOWARD

Clarence Valley Council’s capital works works program for the next financial year will hit $210.2 million, more than triple the amount has historically delivered.

At last week’s meeting the council adopted its integrated planning and reporting framework made up of the 2023/2024 Operational Plan and its resourcing strategy incorporating:

• Long Term Financial Plan (2023/2024 to 2032/2033)

• Workforce Management Strategy (2022/2023-2025/2026)

• Asset Management Strategy (2022/2023 –2031/2032)

• 2023/2024 Fees and Charges

The report to councillors said the grants to fund natural disaster repairs were the main reason the capital works budget had trebled. The substantial increase is made possible by a significant increase in grant funding, in particular Natural Disaster Repair Works to repair 2022 flood damage.

The $210 million capital works program features:

• $67.7 million to emergency restoration and betterment works for essential public assets damaged by the February 2022 floods (and $25 million for