MUSWELLBROOK Shire Council has welcomed the announcement of $4.5 million for community projects for the shire in the second round of grants from the Ridgelands Community Fund.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Set up last year as a condition of the 2013 mining exploration licence granted to Ridgelands Coal Resources, the $5 million fund aims to invest in the development of communities in which it operates.
And, last week, the Hong Kong-based company amended its deed poll establishing the Community Fund Investment Committee to remove its right of veto of decisions of the executive, seven months after it settled a Supreme Court action brought by Muswellbrook Shire Council to secure the funds..
Council commends Ridgelands on this decision, which has allowed the remaining money to be released for 27 community projects.
Council, together with Ridgelands and the Community Fund Investment Committee members, met on Monday this week to allocate the remaining funds and council is delighted with the funding outcomes.
“Some of the recipients have been fundraising for years and years to get their projects off the ground,” Muswellbrook Shire mayor Martin Rush said.
“To know that these allocations today will make it possible to progress those projects to completion is simply fantastic.
“This is a great range of social, cultural, economic and environmental projects, which will greatly improve the liveability of our shire, particularly in the Wybong, Denman, Sandy Hollow and Ridgelands areas.
“Council congratulates Ridgelands on resolving this matter and disbursing the remaining $4.5 million.”
The Ridgelands Community Fund Investment Committee approved the following projects:
