- Published:
- Tuesday 2 July 2019
The Andrews Labor Government is helping councils in the Wimmera Southern Mallee region save millions of dollars and deliver better outcomes for their communities.
Minister for Local Government Adem Somyurek today announced the successful recipients of the $20 million Rural Councils Transformation Program (RCTP).
Buloke, Hindmarsh, Horsham, Loddon, West Wimmera and Yarriambiack will share in $5 million to improve the quality, effectiveness and affordability of services to their communities.
The grant will be used to deliver a full suite of regionally-shared finance and payroll services, which will deliver more than $8 million in productivity benefits and reduced costs over five years.
The RCTP program, a first-of-its kind in Victoria, will improve the financial sustainability of rural councils and allow them to reallocate any funds saved to other much needed projects.
This program backs large-scale, transformative projects at a regional level that will deliver much-needed support to the success councils, which cover more than 95 per cent of the state’s land mass.
The funding enables investment by councils in projects that were previously financially unachievable and strengthens councils’ long-term capacity to provide services to dispersed populations over large geographic areas.
RCTP will achieve greater service benefits for rural and regional communities and strengthen the longer-term financial sustainability of many important services and programs.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Local Government Adem Somyurek
“Victoria’s 48 rural and regional councils are the lifeblood for more than 1.5 million residents, and we want them to remain stable and sustainable heading forward.”
“The Rural Councils Transformation Program is delivering more economic benefits for regional councils than ever before and this is the first time they have received funding for projects of this scale.”
Quote attributable to Member for Northern Victoria Mark Gepp
“We’re supporting regional councils working together and look forward to seeing how they improve their services as a result.”