BY JARROD MELMETH

A record $280 million will be spent next financial year under a 2018/19 Operational Plan, Lake Macquarie Council has decided.

Roads and recreational facilities will benefit most from the strategy, which will see $31 million spent on road works and $4 million funnelled into parks and playgrounds.

Construction of Belmont Baths; Charlestown Skate Park; Pelican Boat Ramp and the completion of the Pasterfield Sports Complex at Cameron Park will all be achieved with a $100 million commitment.

Mayor Kay Fraser said the size of the budget reflects growth in the region, with 205,000 people now living in the LGA.

“We’ve had a large number of development applications in the city, ” Mayor Fraser said, “we can see building works going everywhere…so with the developer contributions (our Section 94 money coming in) and Council contributing to that, it’s giving us the capacity to deliver these important projects.”

Kay Fraser believes the community will be pleased with the spending, given extensive consultation has been carried out.

“A budget was put out on public exhibition for people to have a look at and comment on it – so it’s very much a community budget plan,” she said.


Charlestown Skate Park is one of the projects identified in the Operational Plan.