BY CHARLOTTE LLOYD
The Federal Government has announced a major funding boost as part of the 2022-23 Financial Assistance Grants Payment.
This will see local councils across the Hunter benefiting from payments by the end of the month (April 2022) including Cessnock, Maitland, Singleton, Muswellbrook, Dungog, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens.
This is in hopes to target local priorities and manage the impacts of both the recent floods and the ongoing effects of COVID-19.
The grants being distributed are in the hands of the local Government and allow local councils to make local decisions on delivering vital services otherwise not available to them from a lack of resources.
An outline of each councils Financial Assistance Payment:
- Cessnock City Council – $6,114,730
- Dungog Shire Council – $2,349,390
- Lake Macquarie City Council – $13,402,343
- Maitland City Council – $5,815,747
- Muswellbrook Shire Council – $3,115,017
- Port Stephens Council – $5,507,409
- Singleton Council – $3,302,190