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48 Business View Australia - March-April 2016
PUBLIC WORKS &
difficult to take up enhancements
to meet the increasing demand
from a growing population. For
instance, an existing road may be
six metres in width but modern
standards require an enhancement
to eight metres. This factor greatly
increases the amount of funds
required and can prove to be a major
drain on Council’s limited resources.
Another issuefacedbymanyCouncils,
including Great Lakes Council, has
been the demand from the community
for a host of services that were
traditionally not provided. Traditionally
Council work was restricted to ‘roads,
rates and rubbish’, but now there is a
great demand for community services.
This presents a dilemma to Councils
across the state and has resulted
in their gradual transformation.
Of
course,
Councils
cannot
neglect their basic functions and
continue to provide and maintain
infrastructure within their territories.
A project that will directly benefit Tea
Gardens and Hawks Nest residents
and the community at large, is the
restoration of the Lower Myall River
and the replenishment of Jimmys
Beach. This project involves dredging
approximately 100,000m3 of sand
from the river entrance to replace
the sand eroded from Jimmys
beach. Council has been successful
in attracting Federal and State