New South Wales councils and ratepayers are being advised delegates overseeing amalgamation meetings are not there to voice opinion on the proposals.
Inquiries were held in Corowa, Urana, Lockhart, Cootamundra and Gundagai in the state’s Riverina region on Thursday to allow residents to speak about the State Government’s council merger plans.
The Baird Government has proposed to reduce the number of NSW councils from 152 to 112.
Corowa Shire Mayor Paul Miegel, said up to 100 people attended the local meeting and most speakers he heard were supportive of a Corowa-Urana amalgamation, but not the inclusion of the Lockhart Shire.
Cr Miegel was first to address the delegate in charge of the Inquiry.
“I managed to hear two other speakers who very much, in their own way, echoed council’s sentiment, and I would be very much surprised if the entire meeting didn’t echo council’s sentiments,” he said.
“We really struggle to see the community of interest with the Lockhart Shire due to their proximity to Wagga.”
Cr Miegel said no decisions on the amalgamations had been made.
“The delegate made it clear from the outset that he was neither for the proposal nor against the proposal,” he said.
“He was there to hear the community concerns based on the criteria that the Local Government Act sets out.
The Mulwala Progress Association is also lobbying to have the town moved from the Corowa to the Berrigan Shire.
Cr Miegel said he understood the group would only go ahead with the Berrigan push, if the three-way merger goes ahead.
“They see no community of interest with Lockhart, plus the huge distances that are entailed,” he said.
“They are concerned there will be a decrease in service delivery to Mulwala because of the shire having to look at the entire region and the huge infrastructure network.”
Member for Cootamundra voices support for voluntary amalgamations
Cootamundra Mayor Jim Slattery said up to 200 people attended the Inquiry in Cootamundra, including representatives of the Gundagai and Harden councils.
The Government has recommended the Cootamundra Shire merge with the Gundagai Shire, but the council wants to amalgamate with the Harden Shire.
Cr Slattery said there was strong community support for the Harden merger.
He was confident in the public consultation process and praised local delegate John Turner.
“They carried out the meeting very professionally and I was very impressed with that and the people understood that,” Cr Slattery said.
The Cootamundra Inquiry heard suggestions of a three way marriage between the Cootamundra, Gundagai and Harden councils.
“We’re still in favour of going to Harden, but if we’re forced to go to Gundagai. We’ll make a big effort to try and make it work … not try, we’ve got to make it work,” Cr Slattery said.
He said it was up to the Gundagai Council to start discussions about a proposed merger of the two shires.
Cr Slattery said his council would not be initiating discussions with the Gundagai.
“We can’t go knocking on their door. Gundagai’s got to invite us because they’ve got their head in the sand and want to stand alone.”
Community desire clear, says MP
Nationals member for Cootamundra, Katrina Hodgkinson, attended both the Cootamundra and Gundagai inquiries yesterday.
She said it was very clear what the community wanted.
“Overwhelmingly at the Gundagai meeting the feeling was that they wanted to stand alone,” she said.
“The proposal to merge with Harden is one that was worked through very carefully and that is certainly the reflection of the majority of the people at Cootamundra, that they wish for that merger to proceed.
“I reinforced that I do support voluntary amalgamations proposals that were made earlier on in the piece, that is for Boorowa and Young to work together, and for Cootamundra and Harden to work together.
“They’re the positions determined by councils in very close consultation with the local communities and IPART [Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal] supported that position.”
Ms Hodgkinson has dismissed votes of no confidence in her, made at community meetings in Harden and Gundagai in the last week, saying she was not there to defend herself.
She is hopeful the inquiries will lead to an outcome that will please locals.
“The delegate to both meetings has been very sincere and very thoughtful in his deliberations,” she said.
“He made comprehensive notes as people were putting their verbal submissions forward.
“He was aided by a very capable team from the Department of Premier and Cabinet and I do hope the recommendations he puts forward to the Boundaries Commission are positive in the ways the communities are hoping.”