Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor has congratulated Cootamundra Shire Council on winning the A R Bluett Memorial Award for local government.

Speaking in parliament today, Mr Taylor said Cootamundra Council had won the award’s rural category, for planned progress over a number of years and strong engagement with the community.

“Council’s recent achievements have included the completion of a regional arts centre and theatre, which I was delighted to open in March this year. The Federal Government committed $93,000 to the project under the former Regional Development Australia Fund. Council contributed $163,000.

“Council has also overseen the completion of a new indoor heated swimming pool, public toilet upgrades, subdivision developments, a joint soil contamination venture, as well as gasworks rehabilitation and protection of a WWII aircraft fuel depot,” Mr Taylor said.

He made special mention of Mayor Jim Slattery, Deputy Mayor Dennis Palmer and General Manager Ken Trethewey for their leadership.

“The Federal Government has recently announced just under two million dollars, in fact, one million 857 thousand dollars, in Roads to Recovery funding for Cootamundra to 2018-19. 326 thousand dollars of that will be allocated this financial year. “Roads to Recovery payments to councils, including Cootamundra, double next year (in 2015-16), which will be a tremendous windfall.

“I look forward to working closely and collaboratively with council to push for Federal support for further big infrastructure projects.”

Caption: Angus Taylor in Cootamundra with Cootamundra Shire Council General Manager Ken Trethewey (L) and Mayor Jim Slattery (R).