Armidale Regional Council general manager James Roncon said council welcomes the announcements this week of additional funding allocations from the federal and state governments.
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"Both of these funding programs are of great value to local government and help to ensure councils can deliver necessary projects that will have significant benefits to regional communities," Mr Roncon said.
On Wednesday, Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, said the budget will provide an additional $23.7 million in the New England for the "highly successful" Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program (LRCI) to deliver the local projects "that matter" to communities, while stimulating local economies.
"The Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program has been a huge benefit to our region so far, and the allocation of an additional $2,859,402 for the Armidale Regional local government area will help us continue to improve our infrastructure and roads," Mr Roncon said.
"Through delivering projects with this funding, we are taking steps to rebuilding our economy and improving the facilities available to the community."
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Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall said the first three rounds of the Stronger Country Communities Fund (SCCF) had seen almost $20 million invested in new and upgraded public facilities across the region, with around 100 projects underway or completed across the six Northern Tablelands' local government areas.
Communities across the Northern Tablelands are set to benefit from $5.77 million in round 4 of the funding and the Armidale region has been allocated more than $1.6million.
"It has provided a much-needed cash injection into many drought, bushfire and COVID-19 affected communities," Mr Marshall said.
"The flow-on financial benefits of projects and programs like the $600,000 upgrade of Armidale's Lynches Road netball courts.
"I will support our councils and other eligible organisations to prepare applications for round four funding and talk about what the community wants and needs, to ensure we make the most of this fantastic funding opportunity."
Mr Roncon said the allocation of $1,688,744 in SCCF funding was also welcomed by council.
"We are working on applications for this program," Mr Roncon said.
"These will be presented at the next ordinary council meeting."
Mr Joyce, said this was in addition to almost $24 million in in funding announced just last year for LRCI projects already being delivered by local councils in the New England.
"Projects such as upgrades to the Guyra Community Precinct, Inverell Sports Complex, Quirindi Library, Merriwa Driver Reviver facility and extensive road improvements throughout the electorate," Mr Joyce said.
"We now have more than $47 million worth of infrastructure projects to be delivered across the New England under this program alone.
"These developments are helping to keep local people in work, invest new money into town economies and deliver long-lasting legacies with the construction of new facilities for communities to enjoy for generations to come."
The 2021 Budget will deliver $1 billion in additional funding for the LRCI program across the country, now a $2.5 billion program, and estimated to support about 3,500 jobs, taking the total jobs supported by the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program to about 9,000.
Additionally, the Coalition Government will commit a further $250 million for a sixth round of the successful Building Better Regions Fund, which builds on more than $1 billion already committed to our regional towns and cities from the Fund.
Projects in the New England to benefit from this fund include upgrades to livestock selling facilities in Scone and Inverell, a new regional netball facility at Glen Innes as well as funding toward the Tamworth Rail Intermodal Activation Plan and an upgrade of Tenterfield's water treatment plant.
An additional $28.2 million is also being provided in the 2021 Budget to extend the Stronger Communities Programme (SCP), which provides grants of between $2,500 and $20,000 across the country to community organisations and local governments for small capital projects that deliver social benefits for local communities.
Under the $22.65 million Round 5 of the SCP, each federal electorate received $150,000 to allocate towards successful projects which in the New England included projects such as equipment upgrades at Tenterfield Pony Club and restoration of Nundle and Ben Lomond War Memorial halls.
Round 3 LRCI funding allocations announced in 2021 Budget: Tamworth Regional Council $5,305,066; Armidale Regional Council $2,859,402; Liverpool Plains Shire Council $1,733,544; Upper Hunter Shire Council $2,460,868; Walcha Council $1,183,592; Inverell Shire Council $2,804,110; Glen Innes Severn Council $1,744,858; Gwydir Shire Council $2,364,448; Tenterfield Shire Council $2,088,670; Uralla Shire Council $1,192,213.
Stronger Country Communities Fund round 4 allocations: Armidale Regional $1,688,744; Glen Innes Severn $807,405; Gwydir Shire $785,201; Inverell Shire $868; 112, Moree Plains Shire $839,136 and Uralla Shire $787,769.
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