As the council amalgamation debate persists for the Berejiklian Government, not all merged councils are unhappy with the reform.
Ian Tiley, administrator of Armidale Regional Council – the amalgamation of Armidale Dumaresq and Guyra Shire councils – said he is confident in the council’s position following the reform.
The Council has reported 70 key projects stemming from the merger as completed or underway.
Some of these transition projects include combining websites, revaluing Council-owned assets, reviewing service standards, developing a new Community Strategic Plan, and consolidating accounting systems.
Most of the current projects are due to be completed by September 2017, which is when council elections are scheduled to be held.
“The work on these important projects will ensure that, post-September, elected Councillors will be well-placed to continue to build a strong Council and to respond to community needs,” Dr Tiley said.
The Mayor of Hornsby Shire Council, Steve Russell, has issued a statement urging the NSW Government to continue with the merger of his council and Ku-ring-gai Council, a move that is currently pending due to a court challenge.
“Hornsby Shire Council has been very supportive of the reform process, having commissioned a number of independent studies that outline the significant benefits of the proposed merger with Ku-ring-gai Council,” Mayor Russell said.
“Our councillors are willing to surrender their positions for the greater good, while some neighbouring councillors are desperately clinging to the selfish fiefdoms they’ve carved out using ratepayers’ money.
“Both Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai are ridiculously out-dated local government territories, with boundaries drawn up in the days of horse-drawn transport and telegram communication.
“We now stand in the 21st Century and the duplication of services is wasting a vast amount of money – money that could be put to far better use serving our ratepayers.
However, Ku-ring-gai Council is vehemently opposed to the merger.
Ku-ring-gai Mayor Jennifer Anderson said in a statement last week, “Our documented evidence confirms that the proposed merger with Hornsby Shire offers no benefit to our community. Indeed it could well prove detrimental.
“It would be beneficial for all concerned to put this issue to bed and end legal actions,” the Mayor said.
A lengthy Liberal party room meeting was held on Tuesday to discuss the issue and the Cabinet is expected to consider the Government’s position shortly.
