A new policy has been introduced to assist Council in determining which unsealed roads will be prioritised for sealing in the Shire. A second revised policy outlines the process for implementing resident-funded special charge schemes to seal local roads.
Of the 790km of Council-managed roads in the Shire, more than 300km are unsealed, and Council receives many requests to upgrade them.
At the June Council meeting, Council adopted two policies to assist in undertaking road sealing in a strategic, consistent, transparent and equitable way:
- The Unsealed Roads Improvement Prioritisation Policy
- The Special Rate and Special Charge Policy and Guidelines.
Unsealed Roads Improvement Prioritisation Policy
The Unsealed Roads Improvement Policy outlines the process for how an unsealed road will be assessed and prioritised to be included as part of Council's official road sealing program.
Nillumbik Mayor Ben Ramcharan welcomed the new policy, describing it as fair, transparent and open, ensuring improvements were based on need.
"I think this is a huge improvement to the way we make decisions about the sealing of roads, transparently and openly as a council because it makes the criteria very clear," Cr Ramcharan said.
Assessment criteria have been developed based on five key areas:
- Road function – strategic purpose in road network and traffic
- Community safety – risks, crash history and emergency management
- Community benefit – value to community, access to community facilities
- Environment and economy – significant improvements to environment and local businesses
- Financial implications – costs, external funding, maintenance cost savings
Council officers will now assess all the Shire's unsealed roads based on these criteria to determine an Unsealed Road Improvement Priority List. This list will be made publically available on 1 January 2025 and will be reviewed every four years.
The proposed roads to be sealed each year will be presented to Council for approval as part of the annual budget process.
Special Rate and Special Charge Policy and Guidelines
The Special Rate and Special Charge Policy and Guidelines set the process for considering and implementing a Special Charge Scheme for property owners to seal and upgrade local access roads, as well as a broader range of works and services.
A Special Charge Scheme can be applied to property owners who will receive a special benefit from infrastructure improvements such as road sealing. Benefits can include improvements to access or safety, or physical and environmental amenity.
Under the policy, the minimum level of support for a scheme to progress is 60 per cent of ratable properties, and Council cannot declare a scheme if it receives objections from more than 50 per cent.
