Local government in NSW has been thrown into a confusing muddle as forced amalgamations loom.
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Councils and communities have until the 28th February 2016 to make a submission on proposed mergers which could see Palerang divided up with western half going to Queanbeyan and Braidwood area to Goulburn Mulwaree - however there are clearly illogical lines drawn on the map. The pros, cons and costs of the division of administration and assets, service and community organisations, are being weighed up.
The proposed new Councils would receive a $5 million grant to assist with the merger proposal and a further $10 Million for investment in infrastructure and services for the region.
However Palerang Council has had a preference to stand alone, or at least to stay as one entity merged into another Council - probably Queanbeyan. Various extraordinary meeting over the Christmas break have debated which way Palerang should prefer with no unified position among the councillors. The State Government has said that submission from Councils should only include variations to the proposals and not whole new proposals.
Crs Cockram and Graham addressed the Goulburn Mulwaree extraordinary meeting on 13th January suggesting alternate groupings.
Braidwood resident Danny King, with 40 years experience with the RFS in the district has produced an alternative map with the assistance of Goulburn Mulwaree Council, which provides a variation to the original boundaries proposal, following a more similar former Tallaganda boundary in the south and includes areas east of Collector, Currawang and Taylors Creek, leaving Bywong and Wamboin with Bungendore in the Queanbeyan are.
In the far south Krawarree and Gundillion and those areas of Harolds Cross which are accessed via the Captains Flat Road into Queanbeyan would be included in the Queanbeyan Council area.
This division takes into account balances population numbers and land area in the split, and follows natural geographic boundaries. Araluen would be kept as a whole area within the Goulburn council area.
Mr King argues that the admin and works depot in Braidwood would then be a more viable asset to retain.
Ian Peters from Araluen has been advocating for a merger with Eurobodalla.
Mr Peters says “The current boundary proposal effectively splits the township of Araluen in two, using the Araluen Creek as the shire line. Approximately 20 landowners in Araluen, myself included, may now be subject to two sets of rates charges, plus extras, and will likely have services halved, if any service is provided at all under any new regime."
"Goulburn, Queanbeyan and Palerang all seem like bad choices to me. I have had a look at the financial position of QCC and GMC, and I now see why they were not deemed fit for the future. It is likely our rates in the future and saving in the General Fund will be used to pay back debts in those shires for decades to come, just as it was when Tallaganda merged with Yarrowlumla. In contrast, Eurobodalla have been left alone in all of these merger proposals – there is a reason for that – they are fit for the future, and frankly, their financial data looks pretty good.”
Mr Peters says “I have done rates calculation based on my rates for the 2015-2016 rates notice to find that I will be about $100 per year better off on General Rates, and approximately $770 better off if you include the Waste Programs Charges, Landfill Charge and the costs of having a wheelie bin service, that I am currently charged by Palerang.”
“I recently checked what the General Rates revenue is from Araluen and Neringla for Palerang and it comes in at just over $200,000 per annum. I would be very surprised if Palerang have spent $200k in Araluen in the last 10 years.
On Monday a request for an Extraordinary Meeting was submitted by Councillor Hogarth-Boyd and Councillor Marshall with the following Motion that would invite Queanbeyan and Goulburn Mulwaree Councillors and General Managers to a workshop, on a day to be determined, to discuss developing a common response to the NSW Government’s proposal;
and for Palerang Council hold Extraordinary Meetings on Thursday 11th February and Thursday 25th February at 5.00pm to monitor developments and adapt its response as necessary.
The United Services Union, which represents tens of thousands of local government workers across NSW, has warned that any attempts to use the council amalgamation process, announced today, as cover for cuts to jobs and services will be vigorously fought.
Dates, times and places for the public hearings are:
GOULBERANG: Braidwood Services Club Tuesday, 9 February 2016 9:00am - 12 Noon or Goulburn Golf Club, Tuesday, 9 February 2016, 2:00pm - 6:00pm, Blackshaw Rd, Goulburn.
QUEANBERANG: Braidwood Services Club, Thursday, 11 February 2016 1:00pm - 4:00pm
and Comfort Inn Airport International, Thursday, 11 February 2016 7:00pm - 10:00pm
57-73 Yass Road Queanbeyan.
Registrations to attend and to speak will close at midday on Friday 5 February. The submission period closes at 5pm, Sunday 28 February and can be submitted at www.councilboundaryreview.nsw.gov.au or by mail: GPO Box 5341 Sydney NSW 2001.
See update: http://www.braidwoodtimes.com.au/story/3680480/amalgamation-update/?cs=741