On Tuesday night, Goulburn Mulwaree Council endorsed an option to merge with Yass Valley and Upper Lachlan councils on their submission to the state government.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Now we sit and wait to see which decision the Baird government endorses.
However, we do wonder how much of this entire process has just been a tick the box exercise, and a rather rushed one at that.
During Tuesday’s debate, Cr Sam Rowland hit the issue firmly on the head when he said he felt was “voting blind, because we have limited data and information” about neighbouring councils, and how any potential merger would work".
Our councillors have been expected to make a decision, one that will directly impact every ratepayer in our area, and they’ve been given no information to work with.
Councils have been set up to fail by the State Government. For too long, a State Government-imposed rate pegging cap of 3.2 per cent has been foisted upon councils, limiting the income available. It then seems a bit rich for the same State Government to declare some councils as financially unfit.
The State Government has played hardball over this. We’re told that this local government reform is now being run directly from Premier Mike Baird’s office, instead of Minister Paul Toole’s. It’s fair to speculate the path Mr Baird’s government plans to head down is a fairly radical one.
A $10-15 million sweetener from the state government was on the table for those councils who agreed to merge with each other.
Mr Baird should consider a softening of this, and offer it to any councils who put forward a motion to merge with neighbours, even if this isn’t reciprocated. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, after all.
Other councils in the area have all resolved to stick to their guns.
Last night, Palerang councillors met to discuss their legal options if their council was to be sacked to make way for mergers.
Surrounding councils have voted to rage against the dying light. We hear that those councils may be sacked within the next fortnight, as the Baird government gets on with its reform program.
Today, Dr Joseph Drew from the University of New England says the State Government has used flawed methodology to force these mergers upon councils.
His report listed numerous shortcomings in the process.
“You really have to question whether IPART’s findings have any meaning whatsoever, or were just a Trojan horse designed to achieve a predetermined outcome,” he said.
Interestingly, 18 of the 26 councils merged between 2000 and 2004 are now deemed unfit.
Perhaps wholesale mergers may not be the answer after all. Sadly, it seems the Premier is already past the
