New accounting standards applied to the city of Wollongong mean infrastructure is now assessed on replacement cost rather than on the original value. As a result, a forecast surplus of $ 8.6 million in 2011-12 has turned into a deficit of $ 13.2 million.
There is no doubt that the infrastructure of this city is crumbling. The most glaring aspect of this problem is shopping centre footpaths - and the road system.
Asphalt footpaths were replaced with pavers some years ago and at that time it became fashionable to have the work done by " work for the dole " unemployed.
They lacked the skill to do a professional job and the foundation work also left a lot to be desired. As a result, pavers have fallen away and in many cases sloping footpaths are an actual danger to shoppers.
This has been exacerbated by the gas and phone people, whose mains run under the footpath system. Extension and repair work has seen the pavers dug up and badly re-laid, resulting in anything but an even walking surface.
There are similar problems with our roads, under which the sewers and water mains are located. When streets need resurfacing with bitumen there is no attempt to realign inspection and stop tap access with the new road surface. As a result, motorists are confronted with holes that damage tyres and ruin suspension.
To do these jobs properly obviously costs more - and the council does not have the money. As a result we have sub-standard roads and footpaths which continue to decay because they were not brought up to scratch in the first place.
There is no obvious easy remedy. The sewers, water mains, gas and phone lines will always need work and as a result roads and footpaths will need to be dug up from time to time.
It seems that we can look forward to future rate increases just to maintain the status quo - with no prospect of real improvement because of the nature of what lies beneath our roads and footpaths !
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