Moray Council will invest £3.5 million in 2022/23 on roads, bridges and flood risk management.

The spend on carriageway resurfacing in Moray is similar to last year. Covid-related delays in completing some resurfacing and reconstruction schemes meaning some projects will roll over to 2022/23.

There are 265 street lighting columns still to be replaced in the LED Lantern replacement programme, which will be completed during the coming year. While winter gritting and maintenance is hard to predict, the budget remains steady for the coming year at £1.7m.

The £5.7m spend on foot and road bridges will see the majority invested in the repainting of New Craigellachie Bridge and the strengthening and refurbishment of Bridge of Slateford and Blackwater Bridge.

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Also included is funding for the refurbishment design of five schemes for delivery in 2023/24 at New Bishopmill Bridge, Kirkhill Drive Bridge, Lea Bridge, Boat O Brig Bridge and Auchriachan Bridge.

Flood Risk Management in 2022/23 includes almost £250,000 to cover maintenance of schemes in Aberlour, Rothes, Elgin, Forres, Dallas, Newmill and Lhanbryde. Key projects for the year are the update of the Elgin flood model (to include the impact of changes in climate change predictions); Tyock culvert repairs; Tyock Burn access works; and the review of Aberlour flood scheme.

Moray Council's Head of Environmental and Commercial Services, Stephen Cooper, said: "As ever, there's more we'd like to be able to do on our roads and bridges network, but finite resources means prioritising based on inspections and surveys of the infrastructure.

"Refurbishment and major works are based on scheduled reports and the schemes planned for the coming year will, I'm sure, be welcomed by communities affected.

"We're currently preparing a bid for funding to construct a new Household Waste Recycling Centre along with a new innovative waste reuse building, which will be operated by the third sector. The aim of this project is to increase the reuse of items and reduce waste streams including recycling.

"Purchasing the land for the site falls into this year's budget following the submission of the bid in June 2022, ready for design work to start later in the year."