Toowoomba engineer Kevin Flanagan has announced he is running in the upcoming Toowoomba Regional Council election. Kevin Flanagan and his wife Libby moved to Toowoomba 30 years ago seeking the lifestyle and educational opportunities Toowoomba offered for their family.
They had enjoyed rural and regional life at Charleville, Moree and Kilkivan before settling here. The former Toowoomba City Engineer and former General Manager at Toowoomba Regional Council is a strong advocate for openness and transparency in Council decisions and is committed to ensuring rates and charges are affordable to all ratepayers. Mr Flanagan stated “It is essential that Council maintains and improves our urban and regional road networks along with our cultural, recreational and sporting facilities and programs. These underpin the quality of life our communities enjoy.” Mr Flanagan is also committed to ensuring that that impacts on Toowoomba’s unique and fragile environment and the effects of climate change are considered in all decisions.
Mr Flanagan recognises that “Successive Councils have commissioned reports into future water sources so that new water sources are brought online when required to meet growth. However, with the climate changing such reports need to be reviewed more frequently, noting that all existing water sources were heavily subsidised by various State Governments over the decades. Council must continue to encourage water efficiencies and water conservation measures. More importantly it needs to be proactive in working with the State Government and adjacent water authorities exploring options for future water sources “ Mr Flanagan said and stated that “Future options should include all available sources be they dams, groundwater, pipeline interconnectors, desalination and of course water recycling.” In addition, Mr Flanagan wants Council to further explore its options for reuse and renewable technologies that could deliver long-term financial benefit to ratepayers. “ I pledge to be an inclusive and hardworking Councillor with a positive and constructive outlook delivering outcomes for all of our community,” Mr Flanagan said.
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