AS mayor Luke Smith points out, it’s been a tough 10 years. We can all see the challenges that would face Logan City Council as it was forced to incorporate slightly more than half of the old Beaudesert shire and eight per cent of the Gold Coast with its own 229 square kilometres.
While there was more money to spend there were the needs of more people and significant infrastructure required for a population that had increased from 175,000 on March 14, 2008 to 261,000 the following day.
The council’s budget increased from $300 million to $500 million but rates systems had to be made uniform across the region and local laws had to be consolidated. Among the challenges was organising a container load of boxes with paperwork relating to Gold Coast ratepayers.
Cr Smith says staff were also faced with significant challenges to bring infrastructure in the old Beaudesert area up to an acceptable standard.
Ten years later Logan has 313,785 residents and the population is increasing 1.5 per cent each year. By 2036 we are expected to have more than 490,000 residents. A significant proportion of the residential growth is expected to be in the state government-controlled priority development areas of Yarrabilba and greater Flagstone.
In the Jimboomba district, in particular, residents are concerned about the lack of infrastructure upgrades and the impact of the population growth on amenities.
Ten years ago when the state government restructured boundaries it may have had a vision of growth for the region. But that vision still requires more commitment to deliver the infrastructure needed by residents – those who have lived here for years and new residents encouraged by the government’s push to move to the region.
If the council and Queensland government do not work together on this, we have more tough years ahead.
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