Bayside Council will write to the NSW Premier and the NSW Treasurer asking that Bayside receive a share of the $5 billion WestInvest program set up by the NSW Government to fund facilities and infrastructure to help communities hit hard by COVID-19.
The list of local government areas to receive funding did not include Bayside Council or Georges River Council.
Bayside Council suffered the same economic impact as the local government areas listed in the WestInvest announcement and will request that all local government areas impacted by harsher lockdown restrictions be eligible for these funds.
Bayside is navigating its way out of COVID-19 after being subjected to harsher lockdown conditions than some of our neighbouring councils and its economic recovery requires appropriate and targeted investment by the NSW Government.
As a declared “Local Government Area of Concern” Bayside Council’s co-operation with public health and safety restrictions saw the rest of Sydney benefit from our compliance.
The NSW Government’s decision to invest in western Sydney is commendable, however the sacrifices Bayside made appear to have been ignored.
This is not the first time Bayside has missed out on funding. Bayside Council was excluded from the funding for merged Councils, with the NSW Government ignoring our application for the second round of the Stronger Community Grants.
Bayside Council will also ask local state Members of Parliament for their assistance in lobbying the NSW Government for its share of the WestInvest funds.
