KLCBT gives input in the District’s IDP Representative Forum

This is our opportunity to make final comments on the Integrated Development Plan for the next five years (the current local government term).  During the meeting, all the local municipalities, district and government        departments give summaries of their plans and budgets to ensure nothing overlaps and nothing is overlooked.    Our input was as follows:  We are concerned about the Barberton Steam Train project, as the station was     broken down to the ground and a lot of the railway lines removed, we would encourage the establishment of more City Improvement Districts to ensure clean,    beautiful towns, we requested funding for information offices, we proposed that the District appoints shared      experts that can be utlised by all the local municipalities, i.e. water           engineers (expertise desperately     required), they plan to invest R5      million in experts to fix financial affairs at municipalities.  We further advised that alternative energy applications should take the highest priority for  approval.  We questioned the high cost of planned hawkers stands at Lebombo border of R2.5 million per year for 2 years, but we applauded Bushbuckridge for making Mariepskop available to investors / developers.   We expressed concern about the lack of Economic   Development and Tourism projects (in general) and  offered assistance in this regard. The next step is the presentation of the final IDPs for comment before     approval by the various councils at the end of May 22.