Council’s funding allocation towards the proposed sealing of Maria River Road will come before the October council meeting.
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A recommendation proposes that Port Macquarie-Hastings Council reduce its funding allocation for the proposed project to $600,000 to match the Kempsey Shire Council’s funding offer, subject to grant successful funding.
It comes after Port Macquarie-Hastings Council allocated $2 million towards the sealing of Maria River Road, as reserve funds within the 2018/19 budget.
That was subject to matching funding from Kempsey Shire Council and successful grant funding.
A report to the October council meeting provides an update on the proposed project following advice from Kempsey Shire Council.
The report said council staff recently received confirmation from Kempsey Shire Council that an allocation of $600,000 only had been agreed by their council for the project.
It is proposed our council’s contribution be reduced to match Kempsey Shire Council's allocation given the scale of the project and the joint funding arrangements originally proposed.
A joint application in 2017 to upgrade the road was unsuccessful.
Staff from both councils have since worked to reduce the scope of the project in an attempt to attract state government funding.
The total project estimate remains at about $16.6 million.
It is proposed to seal and upgrade about 24 kilometres of Maria River Road.
The road falls within Port Macquarie-Hastings and Kempsey Shire council areas.
A Fairfax poll in 2017 showed just over 88 per cent of poll respondents indicated they wanted the gravel road sealed.
There were 547 respondents to the poll.
The October 17 council meeting begins at 5.30pm at the Laurieton School of Arts Hall.
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