Mayoral Column - 31 July 2024
Published on 31 July 2024
I’m excited to share that Cessnock City Council has set a record $15.1 million investment in road maintenance this past year, marking a 38% increase from the previous year, and more than double the three-year average to FY21/22.
In addition to the record investment in road maintenance, Council also set new records for capital works expenditure, completing major projects such as upgrades to Wollombi Rd between Millfield and Cedar Creek, new bridges at Kline Street, Abermain and Westcott St, Cessnock, and the hugely popular regional BMX facility at Carmichael Park, Bellbird.
Since becoming Mayor in 2021, I’ve urged Council to get out there and deliver more for the community. These incredible results show our commitment to enhancing local infrastructure for current and future residents, by delivering more road maintenance, road capital works, and overall capital works than ever before. There is more work to do, however I’m proud of what we’ve been able to achieve in recent years.
Speaking of investment in major capital works projects, it was fantastic to attend the recent official opening of the new Kurri Kurri Town Centre & Col Brown Rotary Park. We celebrated the completion of these milestone projects with a ribbon cutting and a community BBQ lunch put on by Kurri Kurri Rotary Club. These major works projects were made possible thanks to grant funding from the NSW State Government and the Australian Government, and of course, our dedicated and hardworking teams here at Council, including those behind the scenes drafting successful grant applications to secure the funds.
The upgraded Kurri Kurri town centre has produced a revitalised and attractive business and recreation hub, including a new public transport area with shelter and lighting, upgrades to public amenities, landscaping, roads and footpaths, and has set a strong foundation for the vibrant future of Kurri Kurri, as it enters a period of expansion and renewal.
The Kurri Curry & Arts Festival will make use of these upgrades when it kicks off in a few weeks. Across the weekend of the 17-18 August, the brand-new winter festival will transform Col Brown Rotary Park and Barton Street into a bustling hub of culinary delights, artistic expression, and community spirit.
This event aims to unite local residents and visitors in a shared celebration of diversity and creativity through mouth-watering curry creations crafted by local and regional culinary artisans, mesmerising street art, and captivating performances. There’ll be something for everyone to enjoy, and it’ll be an event not to be missed! Visit the event page here to learn more.
As we are getting closer to the upcoming local government elections, I’ll now be passing my ‘mayoral column torch’ to General Manager, Ken Liddell. I look forward to reading about Council’s positive plans and progress each fortnight.