Council is appealing to both the Member for Lyne, Dr David Gillespie MP, and the Member for Upper Hunter, Michael Johnsen MP, to urgently release $19.5M in previously promised project funds.

The council has also called on the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Regional Development, Michael McCormack MP, for urgent assistance.

Mayor of Dungog Shire Cr John Connors said funds for Brig O'Johnston Bridge at Clarence Town and to upgrade Clarence Town Road were previously promised as early as April 2019 through the Australian Government's Infrastructure Investment and Roads of Strategic Importance programs, and council has not yet received a cent.

He said this delay is unacceptable and council is taking action to ensure this vital infrastructure work can be carried out.

"On 1 April 2019, council was advised funding would be provided for the $13.37M Clarence Town Road project through the Roads of Strategic Importance program," said Cr Connors.

"Despite conforming to all necessary requirements, only last week we received a request for further information that impacts this funding.

"On 15 May 2019 (Member for Lyne) David Gillespie announced a further $8.8M in funding for a new two lane bridge over the Williams River at Clarence Town, to effectively replace the existing heritage listed single-lane Brig O'Johnston Bridge.

"To date, zero funding has been received and the delays in the administrative processing for these projects is now directly preventing projects from proceeding and significantly impacting council's operational position."

Cr Connors said the delays are unprecedented in council receiving promised funding to carry out important infrastructure work.

"Under Round 1 of the NSW Government's Fixing Local Roads program, council received our first payment within 10 months of the applications closing and within three months of our official funding notification," he said.

"This enables us to complete important upgrade works at locations including Summerhill Road, Salisbury Road and Paterson River Road within practical timeframes, to the benefit of our local economy and the broader shire community.

"We just don't understand the delay with the release of funding for the Clarence Town Road and Brig O'Johnston Bridge projects, as the release of infrastructure funding can clearly be administered in a timely and efficient way."

General Manager Gareth Curtis has called for a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister to seek a resolution to the funding delay.

"Council has already provided the necessary information for the Project Proposal Reports (PPR's) for both projects and, despite the provision of multiple modified versions of the PPR's, council has yet to receive the necessary approvals and associated funding to commence these critical infrastructure projects," says Mr Curtis.

"Dungog is a small rural council with limited local funding and we are not in a position to endure these ongoing hold-ups. Following drought, bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic, council is attempting to progress these local capital works to support our regional economy and local workforce, and we are now calling on our local representatives and the Deputy Prime Minister to take urgent action to immediately release these funds."

The Clarence Town Road and Brig O'Johnston Bridge projects are jointly funded by the Australian Government and the NSW Government and funds are administered by Transport for NSW.

Clarence Town Road is a $13.37M project, with $10.7M funded from the Australian Government, $2.67M from the NSW government, and the project managed by Dungog Shire Council.

Brig O'Johnston Bridge is a $14.3M project, with $8.8M from the Australian Government, $5.5M from the NSW Government, and project managed by Dungog Shire Council, with assistance from Transport for NSW.

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