Bayside Council has been awarded $5.18 million in a "unique one-off funding opportunity" to spend on local roads and infrastructure and boost the local economy as it recovers from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funding is being made available under the Federal Government's Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program (LRCI) with the condition that it be spent by the end of the year.
Mayor Joe Awada is expected to announce details at an extraordinary meeting of Bayside Council next Wednesday, February 3.
This funding is part of the Commonwealth Government's $500 million LRCI Program to assist local councils to deliver priority projects that: focus on local road and community infrastructure upgrades and maintenance involve construction, maintenance and/or improvement to council owned assets and that are accessible to the public, support jobs, businesses and resilience in local economies.
Following next week's extraordinary meeting, councilors will participate in a workshop to identify and confirm its preferred nominated projects, in line with the eligibility criteria for funding.
These projects will be drawn from a list of local priorities across the Bayside local government area to the value of $5.18 million, Councillor Awada said.
"Our decision making will focus on works that can be commenced quickly to distribute the benefits of the stimulus package across Bayside," he said.
"It is my aim to use this unique 'one off' funding opportunity to benefit as many areas of Bayside as practicable," Cr Awada said in a Mayoral Minute to be tabled at next week's council meeting.
"At the Council meeting on 10 February 2020, we will endorse the Draft Works Schedule for submission to the Federal Department of Infrastructure Transport, Regional Development and Communications, nominating projects to be funded.
"Once the nominated projects have been endorsed by the Department, we will communicate with relevant local businesses to encourage them to be ready for these upcoming opportunities and to participate in any procurement processes available in our local area.
"I hope that when we start spending this funding, we'll be assisting sectors of our local economy that have been most impacted by the slowing down of the economy due to the global pandemic."
One possible project is the design and costing for a series of new roundabouts on Clareville Avenue, Sandringham.
This is a proposal outlined in a Notice of Motion by Crs Bill Saravinovski and Ed McDougall to be debated at the extraordinary council meeting.