MEMBER for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall has welcomed the release yesterday of guidelines for the $4 million Fit for the Future Innovation Fund for rural councils.
Mr Marshall said the fund would support rural and regional councils to provide services and infrastructure for communities with a population of less than 10,000 people.
“The initiative is a key segment of the $1 billion funding package for local government in NSW to help strengthen our communities,” Mr Marshall said.
“The initiative provides one-off grants of up to $150,000 for individual councils and up to $400,000 for projects involving more than one council.”
Mr Marshall said small rural and regional communities faced unique challenges in sustaining their communities and maintaining local services and access to the Innovation Fund would help address some of these challenges.
The Innovation Fund assessment criteria include:
- Clear community benefits from the project;
- The use of new and more efficient processes, technology and ways of working;
- Value for money;
- Positive impact on Council’s future performance against the Fit for the Future criteria; and
- Risk management identified.
“Councils can put forward ideas that may include sharing resources with other councils, using creative technology to overcome the challenges of remote communities or delivering services in different ways,” Mr Marshall said.
“I am impressed by the efforts of all Northern Tablelands’ councils in working closely with their communities during this process and am looking forward to seeing some taking advantage of this fund.”
Further information is available on the Fit for the Future website www.fitforthefuture.nsw.gov.au