IN a motion that will certainly be welcomed by residents of Marine Drive in Fingal Bay, Port Stephens Council has agreed to postpone requesting funds from property owners to complete repair works while they seek to resolve a dispute with the agency that initially agreed to fund the project.

In an emergency motion put to Council at their most recent meeting on Tuesday 10 October, Cr Leah Anderson asked the Council to note that “co-contribution funds” had been requested from residents of the Fingal Bay Street to finance a series of road works that will reconstruct gutters and curbs that have experienced significant storm damage.

These works had been commissioned following the approval of a grant that would finance the entire project.

The agency involved subsequently “changed their mind” about fully funding the project, which left Port Stephens Council in the position of having to request completion funds from local residents themselves.

“I’ve had quite a few phone calls and emails… with people being surprised and shocked at this.

“Especially some of the pensioners who have expressed that they can’t afford to have to do this.”

While the initial request has been communicated to residents already, the motion has requested that the General Manager’s office contact residents again to let them know that there will be no co-contributions necessary until such a time as the Council have resolved the dispute with the funding agency.

The motion was unanimously supported.

By Lindsay HALL