Delegate appointed for council merger review

Gosford Council has received further information about the next steps in the amalgamation process from NSW Minister for Local Government Mr Paul Toole MP.

The Minister has referred a council merger proposal to the chief executive officer for the Office of Local Government for examination and report under the Local Government Act 1993.

Mr Toole has written to Gosford mayor Cr Lawrie McKinna saying that the examination of and reporting on the merger proposal would be delegated to Mr John Rayner.

Mr Rayner is the retired general manager of Sutherland Shire Council, where he was employed for 33 years up until 2013.

"The process for reviewing a council merger proposal will now commence, and will allow councils and the community to have their say through public inquiries (public meetings) and written submissions," the letter from Mr Toole said.

Cr Hillary Morris said the community needed to be aware that they only had until Sunday, February 28, to make a submission via the above website if they wanted to have a say about amalgamation.

"I remain opposed to the amalgamation of the two local government areas as I see no financial benefit to the residents," Cr Morris said.

"While they [the state government] are promising $135 million in financial benefit over 20 years that equates to $6.7 million per year and Gosford Council has already proven that it can do better than that with its recent surplus of $14 million without being amalgamated," she said.

"And the $10 million being offered for community infrastructure projects is hardly worth going through the exercise when it is going to cost us $38 million to amalgamate," she said.

"It is important that alternative options are put to the Department of Local Government from the community," Cr Morris said.

"One of the first things I will do on council in February is make sure a notice of motion goes up requesting council ensures people are aware of the submission process but as the meeting isn't until February 8, it doesn't give the community much time to have a say," she said.

Cr Morris also said the immediate future of the current elected councilors is still unknown.

"I am unsure about my role going forward as the government has not yet made a decision in relation to how existing councillors will be involved according to information provided by the minister," she said.

According to Mr Toole's letter: "The government remains committed to allowing councilors that are supportive of making the new council a success the opportunity to shape the future of the new council.

"No decision has been made in relation to the manner in which existing councilors may continue to be involved in a new council for an amalgamated area.

"Options available under the Local Government Act 1993 include the appointment of a single person or group of people (which may include councilors for presently existing council areas) to act as administrators or the continuation in office of councilors from the former council areas, as councilors of a new area ahead of the next election.

"In addition councils can establish Local Representation Committees to help shape the new council," the letter said.

The 20-page merger proposal that will be considered by Mr Rayner has been prepared by the Minister for Local Government under section 218E(1) of the Local Government Act.

According to statistics included in the proposal the Peninsula will account for approximately 10 per cent of the new local government area's total population.

The Minister's forward in the proposal document states that it has been informed by council merger preferences, community views and the unique characteristics of each area.

The document predicts a 119 per cent improvement in annual operating profits over 10 years that the merger may reduce council reliance on rate increases through Special Rate Variations to fund local infrastructure.

According to Mr Toole, the merger should result in improved road works, upgrades to local water and wastewater infrastructure, cleaner waterways, safer food, promotion of the region for tourism and business and the management and maintenance of open spaces, cultural and recreational facilities.

"The savings, combined with the NSW Government's policy to freeze existing rate paths for four years, will ensure that ratepayers get a better deal," Mr Toole said.

The proposal suggests that there will be a payback period of three years "after which the merger benefits will exceed the expected merger costs.

"The analysis also shows the proposed merger is expected to generate, on average around $10 million in savings every year from 2020 onwards," the proposal said.

According to the proposal, those savings will be generated by redeployment of back office and administrative functions, streamlining of senior management roles, efficiencies from increased purchasing power and reduced expenditure on councillor fees.

The document repeats the message that the local community will have an opportunity to attend a public inquiry that will be held for the merger proposal but the details are not yet available on the official boundary review website.

Accelerating the supply of new housing and protecting the natural environment including the coastline are mentioned as priorities for the proposed merger.

The proposal does mention preservation of key environmental areas as outlined in Gosford City's Coastal Open Spaces System (COSS) as a priority that "could" be generated by the merger.

The legislative criteria that the delegate will have to consider when making his recommendation include the financial advantages or disadvantages to the residents and ratepayers; community and geographic cohesion; historical and traditional values in existing areas and the impact of change; the attitude of residents and ratepayers; past and future patterns of elected representation; provision of services and facilities; employment of staff by councils; impact on rural communities; desireability of dividing new area into wards; other relevant factors to the provision of efficient and effective local government.

The proposal Mr Rayner will be considering, along with more information about the process can be seen at councilboundaryreview.nsw.gov.au.

Mr Rayner's email address within the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet is also available along with a 1300 phone number.

Letter, 6 Jan 2016

Paul Toole, NSW Minister for Local Government

Interview, 7 Jan 2016

Hillary Morris, Gosford Council

Website, 7 Jan 2016

Councilboundaryreview.nsw.gov.au

Article, 14 Jan 2015

St George and Sutherland Shire leader

Merger proposal, Jan 2016