Ms Cheryl Thomas
Delegate
NSW Council Boundary Review
GPO Box 5341
Sydney NSW 2001
SUBMISSION ON LEICHHARDT MUNICIPAL, MARRICKVILLE AND ASHFIELD COUNCILS MERGER PROPOSAL
I write to express my strong objection to the forced amalgamation of the three Inner West councils. I have addressed some of the key criteria below.
Financial advantages or disadvantages of the proposal to the residents and ratepayers:
Financial modelling commissioned by Leichhardt Council shows that a separate Leichhardt will perform better financially than a mega-council of Leichhardt, Ashfield and Marrickville.
Communities of interest and geographic cohesion in the existing areas and in any proposed new area:
Leichhardt Municipality is a clearly delineated and cohesive geographic area. Parramatta Road forms a long southern border with Marrickville. Likewise Hawthorne Canal forms the western border with Ashfield; and Johnson’s Creek the eastern border with the City of Sydney. The foreshore of Iron Cove, Sydney Harbour and Rozelle Bay forms the continuous northern border.
Existing historical and traditional values in the existing areas and the impact of change on them:
Leichhardt Council, as presently constituted, has been in existence for 67 years. The Council has ways of making decisions and campaigning for community objectives that involve residents. There has been the long experiment with its unique ‘Open Council’ - in which the individual citizen can make their views directly known to decision-makers - is supported as a key part of the political and cultural landscape.
Attitudes of the residents and ratepayers of the areas concerned:
I am strongly in favour of the retention of Leichhardt Council and oppose the proposal to force amalgamations.
Any effects the merge might have on elected representation:
The impact of amalgamation on local representation will be significant. At present each Leichhardt councillor represents less than 5,000 people. If the amalgamation proceeds each councillor in the new mega-council will represent more than 15,000 people. That will mean less access for residents and less advocacy from councillors. I fear this will lead to a new council waving through new overdevelopments.
Any impacts the merger proposal could have on the ability of the council to provide adequate, equitable and appropriate services and facilities:
An extract from a KPMG study published in December estimated that 96% of financial savings of merging Sydney’s Councils would come from reducing Council workforces. That means reduced services.
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Submission to Council Boundary Review - Leichhardt, Marrickville & Ashfield: make a submission by 28 Feb
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Victoria merged Councils. My inquiries indicated that many of the Councils were small. The city of Kew had a population of less than 30,000. Hawthorn was about 30,000. They were merged with adjacent Camberwell, which had a population of about 84,000. Merging Kew and Hawthorn made sense.
Here Leichhardt Council has a population of about 58,000. Marrickville Council, about 76,000 and Ashfield about 40,000. Merging these three is far less compelling than the situation in Victoria in 1994.
The recent sacking of Auburn Council shows that local government should be limited in size to limit the “radius of damage”. Sacking a larger merged Council would affect a much larger number of people. Larger merged Councils have the potential to spread corruption across a larger area.
To provide effect services at a local level requires good local knowledge. What happens to staff numbers in the merged Council? Any cut backs on the total number of staff would reduce services. Contracting work out means tedious contract management, rather than just getting the job done.
I have seen no compelling reason why this should be done. No evidence has been provided that this is a “good idea”. Therefore, I do not support merging Leichhardt with any other Councils.
No rapid, sneakly amalgamations brought in, without due process – a plebiscite !!
I also think that businesses should not be given more voting power than residents in sydney city council and that equal representation should remain.
I am not a member of any party.
In this instance, I don’t agree with the State Government trying to fix something that isn’t broken.
Each of the council areas that are included in this planned merger is a discrete geographical and demographic part of Sydney, with a particular connection to the local ecology, history, architecture and mindset. Council boundaries that reflect these particular features enable citizens to maintain a sense of connection and agency with their immediate environment, both built and natural, and this is what is essential to retain the integrity and cohesion of community in our diverse and widespread city environs.
Municipalities, such as Ashfield and Marrickville, deemed to be merged with Leichhardt, are outside the frame of reference of residents like myself in Balmain, due to their sheer distance from Leichhardt and their historical and urban differences. Merging disparate municipalities like those, imposes stresses and intrusion onto the psyche and sense of belonging of individuals who currently participate in and contribute to the interests of their LOCAL area, meaning their current municipality.
Municipal boundaries have historical and psychological connections to citizens, and these contribute to communal inclusion and cohesion. It is important for the government to take this factor into account before blindly making changes that result in widespread community dissatisfaction, loss of citizen agency in their local areas and potential community disharmony.
Yours sincerely,
Jenny Proctor
It is profoundly disappointing that the Baird Government would ram through these “reforms” without any meaningful consultation or democratic process. I am disgusted; disgusted at the behaviour of a Government that claims to represent the people of New South Wales and disgusted at the naked submission of that same Government to the power of capital over the needs, wishes and local democratic will of our communities.
there is also no direct correlation between savings made through economies of scale and improved social outcomes. As a local resident, I am more concerned about the latter rather than the former.
As an observer of the processes to date, it appears that the government has capitulated to lobby groups such as Urban Taskforce Australia who wish to accelerate property developments and maximise their profits to the detriment of local residents.
It also appears that both major parties are more interested in broadening the number of electors to disenfranchise the Greens who have significant support in the current Leichhardt Council Boundaries.
My final concern is related to the efficacy of making large numbers of Council workers redundant. If this is implemented there will be a loss of corporate memory in the amalgamated councils. I believe that corporate memory is essential if local government bureaucracies are to build on successful initiatives and avoid replicating past mistakes.
I have emailed the premier on this subject last year and never received a reply.
At the last meeting I attended at the Town Hall, it became painfully obvious that Labor planned all along to vote to merge the councils.
It is unnecessary, and will only serve to allow further over development which in turn only lines the pockets of the parties mentioned earlier and property developers.
Reading today’s report on the level of corruption in this country and the fact that this has been proposed makes me feel sick.
Anyone who voted in favour of this should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.