Council prepares region for years to come

With an impressive financial standing under its belt, the local council is ready to set the region up for the future.

LOOKING AHEAD: Cr Tanya Milligan is optimistic about the future. Picture: Meg Bolton

THE Lockyer Valley Regional Council is positioned to provide for the community and ensure success well into the future, achieving operational surplus.

The successful financial standing puts an end to a multi-million-dollar borrowing trend, which saw council secure loans of more than $38million between 2011 and 2015.

Mayor Tanya Milligan said council's financial standing ensured they would be able to assist the community in times of need.

"Our 10-year financial plan has us in a strong position to weather any unforeseen economic stresses such as natural disasters, but so too the ability to plan for our community in the future,” Cr Milligan said.

After sound financial management, council can now pay additional loan repayments.

"Council is being responsible and endeavouring to make the best decisions for the community,” Cr Milligan said.

"They are being visionary and, at times, that means you have to be brave.”

Cr Milligan said ensuring the community was appropriately resourced for the future had also been an important focus for 2018.

While plans for a regional hospital were yet to be confirmed, Cr Milligan said it was great for the government to acknowledge a regional hospital was required for the Lockyer.