City of Newcastle says it will spend a record $116 million on capital works next financial year, including $14.2 million on CBD and suburban town centre renewals.
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The council announced the spending in a media release on Thursday, though councillors will not vote on the city's 2020-21 budget until Tuesday night.
A council spokesperson said the capital works program included $34 million for projects added since the budget was placed on public exhibition in March.
The extra spending was in response to the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the Newcastle economy.
The works program includes $22.9 million for road and footpath upgrades; $9 million on an organics facility to compost food and green waste; $14.2 million for upgrades in the Hunter Street Mall, Wallsend, Kotara, Merewether, Shortland and Stockton; $8.2 million for parks, playgrounds, sporting and aquatic facilities; $5 million on cycleways; and $5 million to implement the council's climate action plan.
Michael Parris
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
