The answer is Singleton. According to the NSW Economic Assessment of Mining Affected Communities during the 2012-13 financial year Singleton LGA sent $498,285,666 in royalties to Macquarie Street.

That figure is almost double the amount of the second placed LGA in the assessment Muswellbrook that provided $259,634,888 in royalties for the same period.

Singleton Council is hoping that substantial figure has some impact when it comes to the distribution of the latest round of funding in the Resources for Regions program.

Resources for Regions was an election commitment from the Coalition Government to fund projects that will improve local infrastructure in mining affected communities. The funding now covers eleven LGAs across the state .

The fund will allocate $217million over four years from 2011-12-2014-15. To date Singleton LGA has received funding under the program for a number of works including the upgrade of the Bridgman Road – New England Highway intersection, town centre revitalisation, upgrade to the regional livestock centre and Ryan Avenue. 

For the  next round of funding council has a wish list of worth $37.5m and is headed by $10m for continuing work on the town centre – southern and northern precincts, a joint submission with neighbouring Cessnock Council for the upgrade of the entire length of Hermitage Road from the intersection of the New England Highway to the intersection with Broke Road valued at $8m.

Plus the $5m Rosepoint Park enhancement and connectivity project that includes the competition of the Rosepoint Park masterplan. The plan includes the building of a regional netball facility in association with the Singleton Netball

Association and additional sporting facilities to state championship level.

The fourth project is the Townhead Park redevelopment and construction of a multi purpose exhibition building valued at $5m and last on the list if the $3.9m Lake St Clair masterplan development.

The list of five projects were considered at last night’s council meeting and Singleton Council general manager Lindy Hyam is hopeful they will get the tick of approval from the councillors.

“The figures on the royalties clearly show how much our LGA’s contributes not only in dollar terms but also in percentage terms,“ she said.

“And we believe our list of projects for the next round meet the criteria for infrastructure that grows and sustains our region.

“Top of the list is the continuation of work on the Town Centre so that we can really make a difference to the precinct and encourage people from throughout the region to come and enjoy our retail centre.”

In a first for Singleton they will submit a joint project with Cessnock LGA for Hermitage Road which Ms Hyam said is essential for the continued diversification of the Singleton economy.

“With the opening of the Hunter Expressway we have more people accessing Hunter’s wine country through Hermitage Road,” she said.

“And this is a great thing for our district so the upgrade will include signage, visitor facilities, cycleway, lighting and other road improvements.

“Hunter Valley Wine Country tourism has a plan to double overnight stays in  the area by 2020 and this is part of our plan to increase local tourism.”