VOTING DAY NEARS: Residents will go the polls on September 8 to elect a new council.
A SKATE park for Blayney, the promotion of industry that creates jobs and improved local infrastructure will be the key priorities for Councillor Geoff Braddon if he is re-elected to Blayney Shire Council for another term.
The Carcoar-based councillor is contesting the September 8 local government elections, which he says will be a turning point for the council.
"Council needs a mix of old and new and I've certainly learnt a lot of lessons from my 34 years on council," he said.
"We need people that are there for the whole community and not themselves."
Cr Braddon said if re-elected, he'll push for the construction of a skate park in Blayney for local youth.
"Millthorpe's got one and we've got youth, this will give them something to do rather than cause mischief.
"We could put it at Heritage Park or across from the Goldfields Motel."
Cr Braddon has promised to also push for better infrastructure across the shire.
"The downgrading and closure of bridges is an absolute disgrace," he said.
"The primary producers pay their fair share in rates and don't get enough in return.
"What do they get? A gravel road full of potholes?"
To fund his plans, Cr Braddon said money could be redirected from other infrastructure projects to those that are in more urgent need of repair work.
"We're getting around an extra $18 million from Cadia over the next few years and that money will be spent on improving roads around the mine area.
"The money we would otherwise have had to fork out on fixing mining affected roads should now be able to be spent on other neglected local roads and bridges around the shire."
The Order of Australia medal recipient also defended his ongoing criticism of the Blayney Community Centre redevelopment, which he described as a "white elephant".
"It's a bit like a kid with a new toy - looks good at the time and they play with it for a bit but then it's out the back," he said, describing the status of the new building.
If elected, Cr Braddon would also like to see only people living in the Blayney Shire employed on council.
"Anyone who doesn't live in the shire shouldn't get a job at the council."
Cr Braddon said while he's not sure whether he will be re-elected or not, he believes the people always make the right decision at elections.
"The people always make the right decision, it's the people they elect that sometimes make the wrong decisions," he said.