Officially proclaimed on 21 February by New South Wales Governor, Gordon Samuels AC, Armidale Dumaresq Council has become Australia’s first new Council of the millennium. Created through the merger of the former Armidale City Council and Dumaresq Shire Council, this is the first voluntary amalgamation in New South Wales following legislation introduced last year by the Minister for Local Government, Harry Woods.
In accepting the Councils’ proposal to merge in January, the Minister said that he would recommend to the Governor that the new Council be created as soon as possible to avoid any further delays in the electoral process. “The Councils have displayed great maturity and foresight in looking to the future in the best interests of ratepayers and the community in their region,” Harry Woods said. “It will provide new impetus for growth and jobs in the area.”
Armidale Mayor Richard Torbay said that various discussions concerning a merger over the past 30 years had always ended in failure. “This time the spirit was very positive,” he said. “I pay tribute to the resolve of Dumaresq Shire which faced more political pressure than the City.”
Elected last year as an Independent for the State seat of Northern Tablelands, Richard Torbay stood down as Mayor with the proclamation of the new Council. Councillor Peter Monley will be Interim Mayor of the new Council until elections scheduled in May.
The 11 current Armidale and six Dumaresq Councillors make up the new Council until the election when 10 Councillors will be elected. The new Council will be undivided with each Councillor representing the whole area. “I believe this is the best model that can be achieved,” Mayor Torbay said. “It has the support of both Councils. Amalgamations must be voluntary and not forced. Governments know far less about local needs than Councils.”
He said that discussions this time round were instigated by Dumaresq Shire. Other neighbouring Councils were invited to be part of the discussions. However, each indicated they wished to maintain their autonomy but had no opposition to the proposed merger between Armidale and Dumaresq.
Major issues that needed to be resolved in the lead up to the merger included representation of rural areas, the number of Councillors and the name of the new Council. “Following a community competition, Armidale Dumaresq Council was selected,” Richard Torbay said. “This is significant because it recognises a merger rather than a takeover.”
“The new Council will be in a far stronger position to provide more services in the community.” He added that parochialism has been costly. “When elected to Council, no matter what town or area we come from, Councillors have an obligation to represent the whole region,” he said. “Residents need to keep this in mind when they vote in May.”
