BY IAN CROUCH

Newcastle Council is putting it’s hand up early for a share of funding from next month’s state budget.

Among the big-ticket items on council’s wish list is $26 million dollars for the redevelopment of the city’s art gallery, an increase in the pensioner rate rebate and money towards feasibility studies into a Wickham Ferry Terminal and a Lower Hunter freight rail corridor between Hexham and Fassifern.

Council also wants the state government to work with it to rezone land for extensions to the light rail line.

A lord mayoral minute will be tabled at next week’s council meeting identifying key projects for attention in the state budget after the region missed out in last week’s federal budget.



Art Gallery Redevelopment Back In The Frame Picture: artguide.com.au