Candidates in Ward 3 spoke out yesterday in support of greater council spending in suburbs like Dapto and Warrawong and less emphasis on the Wollongong CBD.

Key issues include new roadworks to ease Dapto's traffic congestion and improve access to growth areas like West Dapto.

A review of the $4 adult entry fee at Dapto heated pool is also high on the agenda.

Community Voice hopefuls Ken Davis and Adrianne Talbot-Thomson said "city-centric" projects like the planned $14 million mall redevelopment soaked up funds while places like Koonawarra, Berkeley and Port Kembla missed out.

The group wants the council to publish "league tables" breaking down expenditure by suburb.

"Priorities should include activities for young people in Berkeley and Koonawarra, better access to West Dapto and the provision of seed funding and ongoing support for community-driven revitalisation projects," Mr Davis said.

He also said the existing $4 pool fees at Dapto were prohibitive to many disadvantaged people in the area.

Other Ward 3 candidates agreed. Independent candidate and Neighbourhood Forum convener Romeo Cecchele said the forum had a long-standing dispute with the council over pool fees.

He supported the forum's proposition to cut fees to $2 while a feasibility study was carried out into the possibility of solar heating.

Mr Cecchele also said residents in Wollongong's southern suburbs felt discriminated against.

"We've got the only greenfields available for housing in the Wollongong council area, and yet we've got the least amount of working infrastructure," he said.

He has a petition in favour of a bridge extension at Fowlers Rd as a traffic solution in Dapto.

"I do not believe there's to be any more housing allowed into Horsley or West Dapto until we have flood-free access and straight-line access to the Dapto CBD," Mr Cecchele said.