Wollongong City Council has adopted the Delivery Program 2022-2026 and Operational Plan 2023-2024, which outline the work Council will deliver for the community over the next few years.
From day-to-day work to larger projects, the Delivery Program and Operational Plan are updated annually and set out what Council is committed to doing for the community.
It's within this plan that residents can find out what Council will deliver. This includes what's happening to maintain and improve libraries and community centres, take care of our saltwater and freshwater pools, build new footpaths and cycleways, maintain sports facilities and the work towards sustainability and climate action.
Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said the city continued to face challenges from the rectification work that was required due to the significant rainfall over the past two years, and ongoing labour and materials shortages.
"As a city we are in an extremely challenging economic climate. Increases in material costs, significant weather events and global economic uncertainties means that we must be realistic about what we can and can't achieve," Cr Bradbery said.
"We also recognise that a growing number of our community are doing it tough due to the ongoing housing crisis and economic uncertainty. At the same time, our community continues to remain ambitious with their expectations for Council.
"We will do the best we can to meet the needs and wants of our community. We have held back from raising the rates beyond the cap of 3.7% set by the IPART for the next financial year, well below inflation. Therefore, with a limited budget we have had to be strategic about the actions listed in the Delivery Program and Operational Plan."
IPART is the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, who are responsible for setting the amount that NSW councils can collect as rates each financial year.
Wollongong City Council General Manager Greg Doyle thanked the community for their involvement in the drafting of the new documents.
"We received a considerable number of submissions from community members and organisations on the draft Delivery Program 2022-2026 and Operation Plan 2023-2024. It's great to see so many people participate in local government by sharing their thoughts and ideas with Council," Mr Doyle said.
"I encourage all residents, especially those who haven't been involved in the engagement process, to look at these documents. Get a feel for the work that Council will be doing for you and your community.
"The plan includes a $681 million Infrastructure Delivery Program over the next four years which is an exciting investment in our city. Council does an incredible amount of work for the community including providing ongoing services as well as delivering hundreds of projects each year. What we do is fundamentally for our community and these strategic documents reflect that."
