General News
22 October, 2022
WIMMERA IN FLOOD: Road repairs priority
Road repairs will be a priority as Horsham Rural City Council decides how to spend $500,000 it has been awarded as part of a "rapid response" to flood-affected communities across Victoria. The funding is to be spent on clean-up activities, including...
Road repairs will be a priority as Horsham Rural City Council decides how to spend $500,000 it has been awarded as part of a "rapid response" to flood-affected communities across Victoria.
The funding is to be spent on clean-up activities, including the cost of transportation and staffing.
Kevin O'Brien, acting CEO of HRCC, said Council welcomed the announcement and would allocate funding as the recovery effort unfolded.
"Immediate work will focus on removal of flood debris from the river and surrounds, repairing damaged property and walking tracks and ensuring that flooded roads are open and safe for vehicle use so that people are not isolated longer than necessary," Mr O'Brien told The Horsham Times.
"Assessment of road impacts has already started and will be a priority. Our focus will be strengthening our roads and making them resilient against future events.
"Council thanks the community and all response agencies for their co-operation."
Mayor Robyn Gulline said a coordinated sandbagging operation had ensured that all residents who required sandbags had access to them well ahead of time.
"Thank you to the Council staff who worked tirelessly over the past week providing sandbags, preparing road signs, drains and gutters, and ensuring that up-to-date flood information was accessible to the community," she said.
"Our focus will soon turn to the clean-up tasks, so that people are not isolated longer than necessary."
Ms Gulline also revealed she had taken a special phone call last Friday.
"Governor General David Hurley telephoned me to pass on his best wishes to our community as we prepared for the floodwaters to arrive and to thank everyone for their hard work in keeping our community safe," she said.
"With our catchment already soaked, future rain events may lead to further flooding in coming weeks. Council and our community need to stay alert and prepared for this possibility."
The Council Flood Support Fund has been set up to provide immediate payments to the local government areas that have experienced the most profound flood damage.
Northern Grampians and Buloke shire councils were also among the initial recipients.
This support is in addition to existing Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.