What’s the real story!

10 August, 2022

What does it take to maintain a city like Lithgow? Lithgow City Council is undertaking an extensive program over coming weeks to explain this to Lithgow residents.

Lithgow City Council General Manager, Craig Butler explained, “People might be surprised to know that Lithgow Council provides as many as 121 different services to the community! Many of these, like waste management, water supply and roads touch the lives of people each day. Others are directed at creating the future. Such as future proofing the road network so people and freight can move around safely and effectively. Improving the city’s social and economic conditions so everybody can have their needs met and have real opportunity is another example.”  

“Council staff are speaking with many people as a result of the information we have put out about the options to ensure the Council is financially sustainability over the long term and the community’s expectations for services can be met. These discussions are two-way discussions and they are really valued by Council. They give us the opportunity to explain the diverse range of services that we provide, and the challenges of doing this over the short and long term across a vast area.”

“One of the options we are speaking to the community about would involve an increase in land rates. We describe this option as “maintain services”. This term was very intentional because by maintaining services we can provide the necessities the community need to both survive today and flourish tomorrow. We can fund the present, as well as the future. We are better placed to maintain the community and the city in the long term.”

“Commencing this weekend at Portland we begin a series of face-to-face meetings with the community. I encourage people to engage in these so as to contribute to the future of this city.”