Cr Wall said the announcement from Federal Member for Paterson Bob Baldwin recently for $25 million in road funding for Dungog Shire roads if the Coalition is elected to power on August 21 was “unprecedented”.

“The only other time when funding of a similar nature was received would have been in the time of the late John Hawley OAM who, when on council, pushed for funding to build Dungog swimming pool,” he said.

“I know the money back then may not appear a lot in today’s terms, but it was still a substantial amount.

“The money Bob has promised is quite significant for a small local government area and it’s what we (council) have been working on for three-and-a-half years.

“But council wasn’t alone in pushing for the funding, it was business people, the Paterson and Clarence Town progress associations, the Gresford community group, the Chamber of Commerce, the Tillegra Dam Community Reference Group and members of the community who supported the cause or wrote to Bob.

“Even Steve Wright from Gresford who took a video of the roads and put it on u-tube which prompted A Current Affair to run a story had a significant bearing.

“The NRMA came on board also and became very supportive.”

Two days after a number of business people met with Mr Baldwin last month, he contacted Cr Wall to see first hand what roads needed funding.

“He said he would pick me up at 8am and go for a drive,” Cr Wall said.

“It wouldn’t have happened if the business and greater community hadn’t been lobbying him.

“But the work hasn’t finished yet and council continues to actively engage (Labor candidate) Jim Arneman for a similar commitment.”