A Wingecarribee Shire Council councillor is calling for an investigation into whether residents and businesses should be allowed to fund and carry out repairs on roads they use to access their properties.
Rachel Russell will put forward a proposal at Wednesday’s council meeting seeking a report into the feasibility of waiving council fees for ratepayers wanting to undertake road repairs at their own expense.
She argues the idea should be considered given Council’s acknowledgement that limited resources mean not all roads can be maintained to the same standard.
“Wingecarribee Shire Council’s website states that due to the size of the road network and local conditions, not all roads are maintained to the same standard,” Russell said.
She said residents had contacted her asking what options were available to improve roads that are not scheduled for maintenance in the near future.
The councillor pointed to the Council’s latest annual report, which highlights ongoing challenges balancing repairs, recovery and renewal projects against available resources. She believes an “Adopt a Road” style approach could help improve road safety while reducing pressure on council budgets.
Under the proposal, Council staff would prepare a report for consideration at the December council meeting, outlining whether a policy could be introduced to support residents and businesses willing to contribute to road repair.
