The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has continued its ardent push to stop money being taken away from councils.

ALGA has put out a list of priorities and proposals on behalf of the local government sector, ahead of the Federal Government’s 2015-16 Budget.

The ALGA submission calls on the Federal Government to restore the indexation of Financial Assistance Grants immediately.

The grant scheme helps councils fund virtually all the vital services they provide, including road maintenance, infrastructure upgrades, libraries, community halls and more.

In the May budget last year, the linking of the Financial Assistance Grant programme to the Consumer Price Index was frozen.

The change was intended to make money for federal coffers by not increasing the amounts paid for three years.

In real terms, it means that as populations grow and the economy changes, councils will be stuck trying to do more with less.

ALGA wants another review of the Financial Assistance Grants program, to create an improved growth/escalation method and a more realistic funding pool.

ALGA’s submission also calls for investment in a targeted strategic regional roads funding program to address productivity investments in first mile/last mile locations and linkages with preferred state and national freight routes, further investment in community infrastructure and greater investment in disaster mitigation to improve community resilience and reduce the cost of natural disasters.

On climate change, while recognising the Government's establishment of the Emissions Reduction Fund to address mitigation, ALGA is calling for a focus on adaptation with resources to be provided to councils so they can improve vulnerability assessments and develop adaptation plans.

ALGA’s submission to the budget preparation process can be viewed here.