Tamworth, Gunnedah and Liverpool Plains miss out on $15m road funding, all support emergency declaration

Tamworth Regional Council mayor Russell Webb and Liverpool Plains Shire Council mayor Doug Hawkins have called for support from their fellow councillors to lobby the state and federal governments to proclaim a road crisis.

Cr Webb said Tamworth had been hit by a "relentless" wave of flood and storm events in the past 12 months, which have left roads crumbling away.

"Our current road damage costs are in the vicinity of $14 million with further assessments being made," he wrote in a submission to council.

With Liverpool Plains Shire Council staring down the barrel of economic loss from the roads not being up-to-scratch in time for harvest, Cr Hawkins said it was crucial to support the calls for a declaration for the "sake of the community".

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The cry out from the two mayors comes after Gunnedah Shire Council mayor Jamie Chaffey got the green light from council to support the calls for the declaration.

The emergency declaration, which was first slated by the Local Government NSW and Country Mayors' Association of NSW, is pushing for an acceleration and increase in funding for the $1.1 billion Fixing Local Roads and Fixing Country Bridges program, a boost to Road Block Grant funding and new funding to provide councils with plant machinery and skilled workers to carry out road repairs.

The call for more help and funding comes after Tamworth, Gunnedah and Liverpool Plains were left off the list to receive a share of a fast-tracked $15 million to repair roads.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole and Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway announced Moree Plains Shire Council and Narrabri Shire Council would be two of eight local government areas to receive the funding.

"With harvest underway, we also need to ensure roads are up to the task of carrying the additional truck and heavy machinery to get this crop off and to receival sites," Mr Toole said

"The cash is being directed straight to councils which, with their detailed knowledge of their local region and roads, are best placed to identify those critical priority areas."

If Tamworth and Liverpool Plains councillors agree to support the declaration at meetings this week, Cr Webb and Cr Hawkins will write to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.

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