Wollondilly Shire Council has welcomed t…

Wollondilly Shire Council has welcomed the findings of a performance audit on road asset management in local government published last week, with the positive results highlighting the strong performance of Council in this area.

Roads have consistently been identified as the highest priority for the Wollondilly community, with Council working incredibly hard in recent years to improve the management of the Shire’s road assets and condition of the local road network.

The NSW Audit Office has found that Wollondilly “has a strategic framework for road asset management and has used long-term plans to guide its asset capital and maintenance works.”

The findings also show that Wollondilly has reported asset management outcomes against a planned capital works program, but suggests that Council could improve how it uses KPIs to demonstrate performance.

Although there is still plenty of work to do to get Wollondilly’s roads up to the standard that the community expects, Mayor Matt Gould is pleased that Council is headed in the right direction.

Mayor Matt Gould said, “Road condition is an ongoing challenge and a key focus for all councils across NSW. It is pleasing that the audit has shown that our systems and processes are up to that challenge.”

“At Wollondilly Shire Council we have prioritised our roads and recognised the need for a long-term strategy to tackle the challenge of maintaining and improving our approximately 900km road network.”

“What we need now is more resources, particularly with the growth that is happening within our Shire.”

“I urge the State Government to provide appropriate road classification; in particular to reclassify Remembrance Driveway Menangle Road and Silverdale Road as State roads so we can focus on our local roads.”

“Council also calls on the State Government to ensure timely and efficient support during emergencies, and to assist us by taking the lead on innovative solutions to road making materials and spoil disposal.”

The report by the Auditor-General tabled in NSW Parliament noted that in recent years, many councils have had to contend with the immediate and ongoing effects of natural disasters, which along with increased community expectations, population changes and complex regulatory obligations, all contribute to financial sustainability risks for councils.

Wollondilly was one of three councils included in the first performance audit of the local government sector. The audit has been received and recognised as another important milestone in Wollondilly’s strategic asset-management maturity, building on previous internal audits and external reviews.

The actions from the audit are already underway and will be delivered as recommended, with Council committed to continuous improvement when it comes to managing Wollondilly’s road network.

The full audit report is available on the NSW Audit Office website https://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/our-work/reports/road-asset-management-in-local-government