Funds for Hornsby Quarry remediation drained following boundary changes

Hornsby Mayor Philip Ruddock has revealed there are not enough funds in the budget to complete the rehabilitation of Hornsby Quarry or build sporting facilities promised for Westleigh.

Funds for the remediation of Hornsby Quarry have been lost following boundary changes for Hornsby Council.

HORNSBY Council has recorded a $2 million deficit in its 2018-19 budget.

A Hornsby Council spokesman said fewer residents would feel the usual benefit of the budget, which was transferred from a $10 million surplus to a $2 million deficit this year after suburbs south of the M2 Motorway were transferred in a boundary change to Parramatta Council.

Hornsby Mayor Philip Ruddock called for the state government to act. (AAP Image/ Justin Sanson)

Hornsby Mayor Philip Ruddock called for the State Government to step in and return the region to the Hornsby Shire.

“If the government does not restore the status quo soon there will need to be a major rethink of our shire’s entire future, which could mean a significant reduction in services to the community,” Cr Ruddock said.

“The boundary changes have left our council much smaller and financially weaker, which makes it increasingly difficult to deliver everything that our community deserves.”

Cr Ruddock said the release of the budget was “overshadowed by everything we cannot deliver”.

The construction site at Hornsby quarry where the conveyor belt will put rocks into Hornsby quarry to fill it and make a new park. Photo by Damian Shaw

Cr Ruddock also revealed there were not enough funds to complete the rehabilitation of Hornsby Quarry or build sporting facilities promised for Westleigh because of the deficit.

“Major long-term infrastructure projects are also at risk,” he said.

“Now Parramatta is trying to wrestle even more territory off us, with their bid to add North Epping to their growing empire.

“The NSW Government has promised that our community will be no worse off than it was before the border change, a promise that must be kept.

“The time for action from the government is fast approaching.”

Hornsby state Liberal MP Matt Kean said Hornsby would not be worse off from the boundary changes. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Last July, Hornsby state Liberal MP Matt Kean promised residents would not be worse off following the boundary changes to Parramatta and failed attempt at amalgamating Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai councils.

“What’s most important is that Hornsby residents are not financially worse off,” Mr Kean said in July. “A line had to be drown in the sand.”

This week, Mr Kean said: “The government has committed to ensure that Hornsby ratepayers are not worse off,” he said.

“We are currently working with treasury and the Office of Local Government to deliver that outcome.”

Storey Park community facilities will be allocated $4.6 million, while a new playground at Waitara Park will receive $2 million in funding.