Liverpool Plains Shire Council (LPSC) has resolved to inform the minister for local government it will join a new regional joint organisation within it’s planning region to be known as Namoi Unlimited JO
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Following the Local Government Amendment (Regional Joint Organisations) Act 2017 commencing on 15 December 2017, councils can now officially voluntarily join new JO’s in their planning region.
LPSC mayor Andre Hope said the new JO will provide many opportunities for the community.
“The JO provides a forum for its local councils and state agencies to collaborate, plan, set priorities and deliver important projects in the region,” Cr Hope said.
“The principal function of the JO will be strategic planning and priority setting, intergovernmental collaboration, and regional leadership and advocacy.
Cr Hope said the new JO would hopefully incorporate all of the nearby local government areas (LGA).
“LPSC has approved the inclusion of our local government area in the Namoi Unlimited JO area,” he said.
“The JO is being established to cover our LGA and any one or more of the following council areas including, Gunnedah Shire, Gwydir Shire, Narrabri Shire, Tamworth Regional Council, Uralla Shire and Walcha Shire.
“We are very proud that our participation and the model we used in the pilot program for JOs has resulted in the NSW Government giving the go-ahead for them to be formed around the state.”
The current Namoi Unlimited chair said JO will tackle many major projects such as road upgrades and investment opportunities with funding help from the state government.
“The NSW Government is providing $3.3 million in seed funding to establish JOs, which will focus on the issues that matter most to regional communities,” he said.
“These include building strong businesses, creating jobs, securing water supplies, improving regional transport, and providing community infrastructure, services and facilities.
“The China engagement project is a strategic priority for Namoi Unlimited designed to build opportunities with Australia’s biggest trading partner for innovators in agriculture and other regional businesses through trade and investment.
“We’ve just endorsed the Namoi roads network strategy that articulates clearly for all levels of government the works on the region’s roads network required to enhance the ability of producers and businesses to get to processors, markets and consumers.
“We have identified approximately $117 million worth of works to be done on freight links in and around the Kamilaroi Highway predominately focused across the Gunnedah Shire, Liverpool Plains Shire, Narrabri Shire and Tamworth Regional Council areas.
“The next step for Namoi Unlimited is to meet with local members of parliament, the NSW Roads and Maritime and the minister to discuss how these priorities can be addressed in the upcoming budget.”