West Tamar mayor Christina Holmdahl has echoed concerns from other North-East Tasmanian mayors, telling the Local Government Board to "show us the data" for its assertions and recommendations on council mergers.
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West Tamar was presented with four merger options, none of which were supported by the council, Cr Holmdahl said.
Scenario one proposed one council for a large section of the Tamar Valley catchment area, with the existing West Tamar, George Town, and Launceston Local Government Areas, as well as Prospect Vale and Blackstone Heights.
Scenario two would encompass the existing West Tamar and Launceston LGAs.
Scenario three combined the existing West Tamar, George Town and Launceston LGAs with the townships of Hadspen, Carrick, Longford, Perth, Evandale and their immediate surrounds.
Scenario four combined West Tamar, George Town, and Launceston LGAs, most of the existing Meander Valley LGA, towns such as Westbury and Deloraine, and surrounding agricultural land to the west of the Tamar Valley.
Cr Holmdahl said the council did not have the data to support an amalgamation decision.
She said West Tamar was a council with good financial management, a strong 10-year financial plan and delivered to its ratepayers.
Cr Holmdahl said mergers have to be for "the right reasons and realistic.
She said the council didn't see what the benefits of merging would be and it's not something that could be accepted without the data showing the benefits for the municipality.
The mayor said that she was "disappointed" because the proposed local government review was not about mergers but about "defining the future functions of government."
It's now become focused on "form" rather than function, she said.
The reports that board has put out have been "unsatisfactory" to West Tamar Council, she said.
Cr Holmdahl also cited the example of failed amalgamations on the mainland which collapsed because "all the due processes that are necessary weren't undertaken."
Some of those areas are now de-amalgamating which is an extremely costly process, she said.
"We don't want that happening here," Cr Holmdahl said.
The mayor said she was also concerned that government hadn't been clear on how much it would contribute towards local government reform.
West Tamar Council is yet to determine its course of action and what community consultation it will undertake, Cr Holmdahl said.
"If amalgamations are the answer, what is the question?," she said.
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Charmaine Manuel
Charmaine is a journalist at The Examiner. She's interested in social, political and environmental issues. Got a story? Get in touch at charmaine.manuel@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Charmaine is a journalist at The Examiner. She's interested in social, political and environmental issues. Got a story? Get in touch at charmaine.manuel@austcommunitymedia.com.au
