23 September 2020
The region’s local school students are set to benefit from a proposed reallocation of the bushfire recovery funding originally tagged for the Drought and Bushfire Regional Readiness Plan.
After the Government recognised that Council’s existing disaster plans met the Adverse Events Plan requirements, Southern Downs Regional Councillors today voted at the General Meeting to seek Government approval to channel $50k from the Bushfire Recovery Funding Programme into disaster preparedness and resilience at schools.
Portfolio Councillor for Corporate and Community Services Cynthia McDonald said that Council’s current school engagement program had been positively received and that the additional funding would allow the program to reach further across the region.
“Our current school visits have already delivered more than 1300 Emergency Kits to a number of schools in our region, and this reallocation of funding from Bushfire Recovery Funding Programme will enable us to deliver an additional 4000 kits to school students,” Cr McDonald said
“In Queensland we are prone to natural disasters with drought, flood, fires and storm, and our community has endured many tough times recently. It vitally important that we are prepared and equipped to face disaster and come through safely on the other side.
“Our school visits in conjunction with the SES deliver disaster preparedness and resilience at the grass roots level. This is a really worthy cause and an excellent reallocation of resources.
“Council has been incredibly fortunate through meticulous funding submissions to secure funds and we are committed to ensuring every cent is used to its fullest where it is needed.”
Council secured a total of $1.3m under the Queensland Reconstruction Authority Bushfire Recovery Funding Programme in February 2020, the bulk of which has already been allocated to the rural water tank rebate, water storage facilities and equipment for firefighting and funding for regional community and sporting organisations.