While the cash from the $20 billion sale of the state’s poles and wires network is not expected to start rolling in for possibly another 12 months due to the search to find a buyer, Bathurst MP Paul Toole has assured residents they will be well pleased with their slice of the budget pie.

“There could be a few surprises on Tuesday for us, but I doubt if there will be anything new that is of great magnitude like some of the projects we have going on at the moment,” he said.

“The big money will be for carry-over projects to keep them going.

“There’s definitely money for the new $3 million Rural Fire Service control centre at Kelso and $4 million to go with the $1 million this financial year to honour the $5 million commitment we made to the second track at Mount Panorama.

“There will be $150,000 for the extensions at Daffodil Cottage which honours another commitment we made.

“However, the main item is for the continuation of the roadworks on the highway at Kelso. Overall, it’s an $85 million project that will take several years to complete. I am not sure of the exact figures, but it’s something like $27 million this financial year with another $30 million being announced on Tuesday.”

Mr Toole said the sale of the poles and wires will allow the government to spread the windfall to communities across the state.

“I’ve got a wish list for some of that money for the electorate of Bathurst and it’s all about infrastructure,” he said. “There are a lot of roads to be maintained, repaired or replaced and it’s a huge impost on local councils and runs into millions of dollars. I know that Bathurst Regional Council has an asset maintenance backlog in its 2015-16 budget of more than $72 million and it would be good to be able to address that in some way. 

“There is also the issue of water security and what council wants to do with beefing up Ben Chifley Dam to increase its capacity even more.”

ACCORDING to Bathurst Regional Council’s asset maintenance backlog, the break-up includes: