Yep, right.
More resources for the bigger council so that the approach of the liberals can be more pervasive than it already is: the richer, more powerful, will now have more resources while the poorer, less powerful, will get even less of the little they got before.
The further you take the 'people representatives' from the people they represent, the worse represented those people will be.
BRIAN WATSON-WILL - 7 years ago
We have witnessed proposed forced amalgamations within our State over the past 15 months.
As there were around 160 local councils, there needed to be some amalgamations, however the proposed forced amalgamation of Port Stephens Council with Newcastle City Council was ludicrous in the extreme.
Newcastle City should have been amalgamated with Lake Macquarie, as at present the only this that divides these two councils is a road.
The proposed forced amalgamations won't just disappear, and irrespective of which government, Labor or Liberal, there will inevitably be further forced amalgamations. With this in mind negotiations with neighbouring councils should take place with the view of agreed amalgamations to be able to provide quality services to their communities, and not have cash-strapped smaller councils unable to provide these services.
Over past decades Port Stephens Council mayors and general managers have been negotiating with our neighbouring Great Lakes Council, for the release of some portions of their Local Government areas to incorporate into Port Stephens as all storm water run-offs flow into the port and the waters of the port aren't used to divide our communities.
An agreed merger of Port Stephens Council with Dungog Council would secure the futures of both councils and most probably eliminate any other forced amalgamations of the two.
Maitland City Council would probably want to secure an agreed amalgamation with Dungog Council in the future, so it would be in the best interests for Port Stephens Council to amalgamate with Dungog.
Yep, right.
More resources for the bigger council so that the approach of the liberals can be more pervasive than it already is: the richer, more powerful, will now have more resources while the poorer, less powerful, will get even less of the little they got before.
The further you take the 'people representatives' from the people they represent, the worse represented those people will be.
We have witnessed proposed forced amalgamations within our State over the past 15 months.
As there were around 160 local councils, there needed to be some amalgamations, however the proposed forced amalgamation of Port Stephens Council with Newcastle City Council was ludicrous in the extreme.
Newcastle City should have been amalgamated with Lake Macquarie, as at present the only this that divides these two councils is a road.
The proposed forced amalgamations won't just disappear, and irrespective of which government, Labor or Liberal, there will inevitably be further forced amalgamations. With this in mind negotiations with neighbouring councils should take place with the view of agreed amalgamations to be able to provide quality services to their communities, and not have cash-strapped smaller councils unable to provide these services.
Over past decades Port Stephens Council mayors and general managers have been negotiating with our neighbouring Great Lakes Council, for the release of some portions of their Local Government areas to incorporate into Port Stephens as all storm water run-offs flow into the port and the waters of the port aren't used to divide our communities.
An agreed merger of Port Stephens Council with Dungog Council would secure the futures of both councils and most probably eliminate any other forced amalgamations of the two.
Maitland City Council would probably want to secure an agreed amalgamation with Dungog Council in the future, so it would be in the best interests for Port Stephens Council to amalgamate with Dungog.