Mayoral Message - May 2021

Staff and Councillors have been busy preparing our program and budget for 2021/22, which we are now presenting to the public via our new online format and seeking feedback during May.

The Draft 2021/22 Operational Plan includes the 2021/22 Budget, Fees & Charges and Rates Charges for Yass Valley. The Operational Plan allocates responsibility for each project or activity to a program area of Council. This is then filtered into program area plans, project plans and individual work plans. It is supported by Council’s 2021/22 Budget, which outlines the capital works program and key infrastructure projects Council will carry out in the same financial year.

The focus on key infrastructure upgrades will continue in 2021/22, including: the opening of the Yass to Murrumbateman Pipeline; the preparation of documents required for the new Civic Precinct project to proceed to the point where it is ‘shovel ready’; the acceleration of early works to improve water quality in Yass and the ongoing lobbying of Governments for the funding to build a new Water Treatment Plant for the town. In addition to this, we will continue to work hard to upgrade our amenities, parks and sporting grounds and strengthen our renewed focus on the annual re-sheeting program for our unsealed road network as well as committing to two important roadside weed spraying programs.

Our community was faced with significant challenges last year, including drought, the impacts of state-wide bushfires and a world-wide health crisis in Coronavirus (COVID-19). It was, and in many ways continues to be, an uncertain and unsettling time and we were all forced to adapt to new and innovative ways of life as we united to get through the pandemic together. There were major disruptions to businesses, services and facilities in the Local Government Area. Many of Council’s services and facilities had to close or operate with modifications and limitations for a period of time. Councillors were given another year to continue our work and it will be up to a new Council to take over the reins following the Local Government elections in September 2021. Together, they will decide what path our community will take for the next four years. Our resilience as a community will continue to be tested, however, as our nation rolls out the COVID-19 vaccine program.

The health of our community continues to remain the number one priority and, to this end, Council has decided to again deliver the 2021/22 Operational Plan through our safe, interactive and online format. Following from the success of last year’s online launch, which attracted a high level of public engagement, we will invite your feedback and suggestions on these important documents that are ultimately shaped by you. Your input is more important than ever as we hope to progress on some major local infrastructure projects that will have long lasting impacts for future generations in the Yass Valley.

The Draft Operational Plan is now on Public Exhibition and available to view: HERE

To visit our interactive website designated to the presentation of the Draft Operational Plan, follow this link to access (note: if you’re opening the link on a desktop computer, please use Google Chrome for best results).

https://www.yassvalley.nsw.gov.au/documents/Draft-Operational-Plan/index.html

Rowena Abbey

Mayor, Yass Valley Council

6 May 2021

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