It will be “business as usual” for residents in amalgamated area according to the former Mayor of Manly.
New South Wales council amalgamations have been in effect now for over a month and while dissent continues in some areas, others are settling into their new roles.
In Sydney’s north, the former Manly, Pittwater and Warringah Councils have become the single Northern Beaches Council.
Dick Persson has been appointed to serve as administrator until Council elections next September, and in the interim, a committee of former mayors and councillors has been formed to serve as an advisory group.
Chair of the Northern Beaches Council Implementation Advisory Group, former Mayor of Manly Council, Jean Hay, provided the following comment on the views and goals of the committee:
“As the former Mayor of Manly Council, I am aware that the former Council’s entire staff are looking forward to working cooperatively and productively with the other Councils involved in the merger of Manly, Pittwater and Warringah, to ensure an efficient and speedy transition to a new local government body, and to continue serving the community of the whole Northern Beaches.
“As Chair of the newly incorporated Northern Beaches Council Implementation Advisory Group, I will be joined by former Manly Councillor Cathy Griffin, former Warringah Mayor Michael Regan and Warringah Councillor Jose Menano-Pires, and the former Pittwater Council’s Deputy Mayor Kylie Ferguson and Councillor Alex McTaggart to assist the newly-appointed Administrator for the Northern Beaches, Mr. Dick Persson, establish an interim Council until elections are held for a new Council on 9 September 2017.
“Interim Senior Managers for the new Northern Beaches Council have also been appointed following a rigorous selection process.
“Initially, of course, it will be ‘business as usual’ for customers of the three merged Councils.
“The code of meeting practice of the former Manly Council is to be the code of meeting practice of the new Council until it is amended or replaced in accordance with The Act.
“For the future, I am very confident, given the enthusiasm and good-will shown by the staff and former elected members of the three areas, that our new team will complete the task of creating the new Council and, more importantly, progress the important work of securing the future prosperity of one of the most blessed communities in Australia, Sydney’s Northern Beaches.”
