MEMBER for Bathurst and Minister for Local Government Paul Toole hopes a decision will be made by the end of the month on Oberon Council’s court action on its contentious forced merger with Bathurst.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And he has pointed to the “significant savings” he says are already being made by councils that have been merged.
It comes as a district critic of the forced mergers referred to the federal election result as an example of what happens when political parties ignore the voices of the people.
Oberon and Cabonne councils’ action in the Land and Environment Court of NSW against the NSW Government’s forced amalgamations ended in early June.
Written and verbal submissions were provided to Chief Justice Preston.
Marj Bollinger of the Cabonne Amalgamation No Thank You group attributed the Coalition’s loss of the seats of Barton, Eden Monaro and Dobell at the federal election to the amalgamation issue.
”All of our concerns, and indeed we the people, have been arrogantly brushed aside and repeatedly told by [Premier Mike] Baird and Toole that no matter what happens, be it court actions or proof that the KPMG projected savings are flawed, they intend to continue to sack local councils and force them to merge regardless,” she said.
While Mr Toole said he hoped there would be a decision on Oberon’s court action by the end of the month, he conceded that he did not know how long it would take.
But he said the benefits of the mergers were obvious.
”Across the state, where mergers have already occurred, significant savings have been made,” he said.
“This is money that is providing more infrastructure, more savings and keeping rates stable.
“Some communities have received up to $25 million from the NSW Government and have been looking at longer term projects that provide economic, social and environmental benefits back to the community, as well as smaller projects in some communities that have not been addressed for a long period of time.”
The NSW Government says each new council will receive up to $10 million to meet the costs of merging and up to an additional $15 million for new investments in community infrastructure.
Mr Toole’s in-principle support for the merger of Bathurst and Oberon remains while he awaits the court judgement.
