About

This blog was started in May 2013 out of a need to see some independent analysis of proposals to amalgamate Mosman Council with North Sydney, Willoughby,  Lane Cove and Hunters Hill.  There was little analysis available on the web.  The proposals were contained in papers by the Independent Local Government Review Panel with barely any exposure to the general public, and my Council, Mosman, was providing residents with arguments against amalgamation but little background information.

I wanted to know more  and be given the real arguments for and against. Surely there must be some good reasons to amalgamate, the situation couldn't be just one sided. So I set out to research these questions

• what is driving the reforms?
• should Mosman Council amalgamate?
• what are our options ?

If you are also looking for information about council amalgamations, I hope this blog could be useful.

The first research task was to analyse Mosman Councils arguments in 2012 against amalgamation,   attend some ILGRP public consultation meetings and read the four Government reports that propose or  support council consolidation.

• Independent Local Government Review Panel  (ILGRP) - Future Directions for NSW Local Government- Twenty Essential Steps
• NSW Governments Metro Plans 
• TCorp's Financial Assessment Report

Fair Arguments
I was interested in the arguments for and against amalgamations and to assess whether or not they are fair.  (as distinct from whether I agree with them)

While not everyone will agree with the big picture arguments put forward by ILGRP, I think these are fair.

In regard to Mosman Councils arguments against amalgamation, I conclude that some are fair some are not.  Arguments along the lines  that the Mosman Village will be lost and volunteers will give up are simple emotional appeals with no foundation. Overall Mosman Council has overstated its case.


What is driving change?
These are the drivers that I have encountered.

•  1.3 million more people expected to live in Sydney by 2031 
•  545,000 new homes and 625,000 new jobs are needed across the metropolitan area
• the current planning system needs to be reformed to streamline development
• the Government will not deal with small councils
• the government wants to work with councils with strategic capacity to plan infrastructure (schools, transport, health, environment)
• the government wants to direct local government grants away from metro areas to struggling regional councils i.e. create larger councils with financial capacity to look after themselves.
• small Councils do not have the capacity to provide a full range of services or effectively make representations to Government on important regional planning issues
• there is a general trend for small councils to amalgamate 

These are all unpopular changes, in particular the migration of 1.3 million people to Sydney which is not understood nor supported by most people in Sydney, but this migration is happening anyway and Government is right to plan for it.

Discussion Papers

There are a number of  sources of discussion papers about amalgamations.

In 2011 Warringah Council commissioned a discussion paper that made a strong argument for council amalgamation and shared services. This was an excellent paper at the time. It was provided to Mosman Council which did not respond or disclose its existence to Mosman residents during the 2012 amalgamation referendum. See more the Warringah Consolidation tab.

I was also impressed by research paper Consolidation in Local Government a Fresh Look from the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government.  It uses interviews with opinion-makers who have recent experience in consolidation in both Australia and New Zealand.

My Activities.

In May 2013 I wrote to Councillor Peter White, Chair of the Committee for an Independent Mosman, proposing the Council take a more flexible approach to the possibility of joining a new Council with North Sydney, Willoughby and Lane Cove. (as yet no reply)

In June 2013 I sent  a submission to the ILGRP and attended ILGRP public consultations at Warringah and Chatswood councils.

My submission concluded that it would be a good option for Mosman to join with North Sydney and this is discussed in the tab What if - Mosman and North Sydney.

In October 2014 I wrote to Mosman Council asking them to revise the terms of reference and composition of their community consultation committee, the 'Committee for an Independent Mosman'.  I suggested the committee should be representative of the community and include residents in favour of amalgamations.  Its terms of reference should include providing advice to Council on amalgamation options.  The Council rejected my proposal.

In December 2014 I created a new website mergemosman.com to provide brochure style information about the Goverments Fit for the Future reforms.

Background

The  Independent Local Government Review Panel established by the NSW Government in 2012.  Their first  report concluded that the number of local councils in the Sydney basin should be significantly reduced, especially in the inner and eastern suburbs, on the lower North Shore and around Parramatta and Liverpool.

'The Panel remains of the view that for Sydney to remain Australasia’s pre-eminent global city, very substantial changes are needed to the way the region is governed at both local and State levels.' (page 44   Future Directions for NSW Local Government)

The final report maintained its  recommendation that councils amalgamate or form 'Joint Organisations' across the Sydney metro.

In September 2014 the NSW Government announced its 'Fit For the Future' policy.

The implications of this policy are  to encourage councils to look again at amalgamations.

Map from final ILGRP report