CORANGAMITE Shire Council nominee Neil Trotter says residents are making substantial and impressive improvements to properties while the condition of roads falls well off the mark.
Mr Trotter has nominated for the south-west ward and said the council had been active in lobbying VicRoads for improvements to the arterial links in the ward.
He said Ayrford Road, the Cobden-Warrnambool Road and Main Street in Timboon were just some of the examples which needed urgent attention.
“To date, requests for funding have fallen on deaf ears or we have been told that the prospective projects do not meet the funding formula or rate as a priority,” he said.
“Many of the roads leading to the arterials are still gravel.
“My family settled in this region in the 1840s. Many of the roads that were created since that time have not advanced beyond gravel tracks.
“The investment in the provision of infrastructure to service the industry, businesses and residents has not kept pace with the investment made by those entities.
“I have been driving around the south-west ward and can see the considerable investment made by those living in it.”
Mr Trotter said the rate values kept rising above the Consumer Price Index and in accordance with the improved capital value of the adjoining properties which were also increasing, but the infrastructure to support them had not.
“Fire safety, roadside weed infestation, poor drainage and potholed roads do not match the investment and efficiency of those who live on them,” he said.
Mr Trotter said the cost of transporting goods and services was increasing because the road network had not kept pace with the advancement in transport technology.
“Dairy companies are rationalising their production facilities and they are looking at rationalising their transport infrastructure,” he said.
“Contracting out milk collection so that instead of three or more companies traversing many of our roads it may be possible to have one. For this to come to fruition, council needs to be proactive in assisting the companies reach an accord.”
Mr Trotter said the road network in the Corangamite region serviced a very high concentration of small business operators.
“The formula for recurrent funding needs a complete overhaul to better reflect the reality and safety concerns we face every time we move away from our properties.”
Mr Trotter said he recognised the council had initiated and been proactive in agitating for improvement which he said needed to be expanded upon and continued.
cquirk@standard.fairfax.com.au