THE amalgamation road train is set to gain momentum come October.
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Bathurst MP Paul Toole will be driving the major shake-up of councils across the state in his role as the Minister for Local Government.
At present there are 152 separate councils across NSW, but that number seems set to be culled dramatically under the banner of the government’s Fit for the Future reform package.
The NSW Government is offering up to a billion dollars in incentives to local government to improve its economies of scale, and Bathurst Regional Council is already being touted as a suitable partner for neighbouring Oberon in the amalgamation stakes.
Mr Toole said yesterday change was inevitable.
He said media reports that he had taken a proposal to cabinet to consider sacking councils ahead of next year’s local government elections in September – thereby allowing councils and mayors to run for newly-merged authorities – was unfounded.
“The story isn’t correct,” he said.
“The government has no such plan to dismiss all councils in NSW.
“We are undertaking much-needed reform of local government in this state. As part of that reform an independent tribunal is assessing individual councils’ fitness for the future.
“It will report back to the government in October. The government will then give the report careful consideration before deciding on the next steps forward.”
Mr Toole did send an ominous warning though, noting that not as many councils as he would have liked have their hand up for amalgamation.
“Both the premier and myself are very disappointed that more councils are not engaged in the process,” he said yesterday.
“We have no set number of councils we want to end up with. However, NSW has twice as many councils as Victoria and Queensland, who have around 70 each.
“NSW is the last state to move towards reform in local government. We will have to wait for the report in October, but it’s clear this sector is calling for change and a need for reform.
“Unfortunately, from time to time, self interests get in the way of the greater good of the communities.”