Council feels heat on funds

Ratepayer queries drought money

LAUNCESTON Council has again defended its right to apply for a share of federal funding intended for droughtaffected regional communities.

It was announced in June that City of Launceston Council would receive $10m through round four of the Building Better Regions Fund.

More than $200m was awarded across 163 grants and Launceston’s was the equallargest windfall, matched by Coffs Harbour City Council and Ballina Shire Council.

A federal government website shows Launceston’s grant was to “build a creative precinct on neighbouring sites in the centre of Launceston” and the project would have a total cost of $81,579,120.

Questions were raised over the council’s eligibility for funding designated for drought-affected regions and were again raised in public question time at Thursday’s council meeting.

Ratepayer Ray Norman said mapping published by the Bureau of Meteorology indicated the municipality was not drought affected, “neither was anywhere else in Tasmania” during the eligible period.

Mr Norman has previously requested a copy of the application be made available to ratepayers.

Mayor Albert van Zetten said the BBRF was launched in December 2019 and BOM data demonstrated the city had “experienced a rainfall deficiency from April 1, 2018, to November 30, 2019.

“Staff are currently working through the elements of the funding offer with the councillors and have previously provided all of the Building Better Regions eligibility requirements,” he said.

In a statement on the council website, council chief executive officer Michael Stretton said: “The BBRF is a very important funding stream for local government, as it is the only means outside of an election commitment for councils to apply for funding.”

Mr Stretton said the grant round was available to all regional locations where BOM rainfall data indicated an extended period with a significant decline in rainfall or none at all.

He said BOM data “clearly showed a ‘severe deficiency’ in rainfall for the region”.

“Our application was submitted in good faith last year after we made all the necessary inquiries,” he said.

Mr Stretton said it was intended that the funding would be used to invest in publicly owned assets that would promote new and emerging industries in Launceston’s CBD.