Read more: ‘No agenda’ on City Council table to pursue Local Government merger
GRANT District Council elected members remain defiant against a merger with its city neighbour amid looming reforms mooted to simplify the process across the state.
The issue of amalgamation was a hot topic at Grant council’s full meeting ahead of new boundary reform laws being swept in early next year.
The Local Government Grants Commission is seeking feedback on draft guidelines that are likely to streamline merger pathways.
Under the proposed rules, amalgamation can be initiated by State Government ministers, ratepayers or councils.
Grant District Council – which has its main office in Mount Gambier – is home to more than 8000 residents scattered around Mount Gambier’s urban boundary, stretching from Tarpeena to the coast and across to Kongorong.
At this week’s meeting, Cr Julie Reis was among the elected members to stand firm against amalgamation and called for fellow councillors not to take a “negative” view.
She said there was no reason why Grant District Council could not take the stance to take over Mount Gambier City Council.
“I am going to make an observation here that we immediately think in the negative for us. The reality is, if the City Council wants to take over us, we could put in a counter claim and go the other way,” Cr Reis said.
“I’m trying to look at it from a different perspective.”
Cr Shirley Little said the council initiated boundary reform about 10 years ago, which made room for residential growth within Mount Gambier’s boundary.
She said there was still land available in the city to accommodate residential growth.
Speaking to The Border Watch, Grant district mayor Richard Sage said the Grant community had in the past “voted down” amalgamation.
A poll taken around 14 years ago resulted in 93pc of participating residents voting against a proposed merger with Mount Gambier.
It was one of the biggest voter turnouts in the history of the region.
But a report two years ago by The Property Council of Australia SA claimed a merger would deliver significant benefits and cost savings.
“There is no push by the community within our district for amalgamation,” Mr Sage said.
He also rejected suggestions a merger would bring significant cost savings to ratepayers.
“If you are looking to amalgamate councils to make savings, you are dreaming,” said Mr Sage, who warned larger councils often led to bigger bureaucracies and wage bills.
Mr Sage also debunked suggestions Grant district ratepayers were regularly using City Council facilities at its expense.
“We do the same in Adelaide when we travel there and (Grant district) is the engine room for the city of Mount Gambier – our industries produce the income for the city,” he said.
Conceding the relationship between the two councils was often like a sibling scenario, he said both councils were working together on a number of issues.
“You can always have your little spits, it is just the way things go,” he said.
“As a community, we can see both sides of the equation.”
He said council surveys had shown the community was against amalgamation.
“You can’t say just because you have 27,000 people in Mount Gambier they should overrule a small council, or vice versa,” Mr Sage said.
“There is a new change in the boundary reform process and what we are saying is that we have done our bit in terms of boundary reform.”
He said the council gave up significant growth areas on the city’s boundary 10 years ago.
“It has taken 10 years to get back where we should have been,” Mr Sage said.
“We have missed out on that growth, but we have pegged that back and are now looking to the future.”
But he said there were greater opportunities to work with other councils in the region to “get a better outcome”, rather than focusing on mergers.
“We are a regional council and we take up issues the City Council doesn’t and we are connected to our 13 hamlets or communities across the council district,” said Mr Sage, adding the district had eight schools.
Grant District Council was formed in 1996 after amalgamation of the Port MacDonnell and Mount Gambier District councils.
