Compulsory Amalgamation

[LandyAndy]

Looks like we are heading the way of you eastern taters.COMPULSORY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AMALGAMATION:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
Quite some time ago the local government minister over here,John Castrelli,put all WA local governments on notice.If you are financially unviable you will be forced to amalgamate with other nearby local governments.All were given till the end of august to show grounds why they shouldnt amalgamate and what plans they have for the future.
Last thursday Castrelli was on local radio saying nobody will be forced to amalgamate,those shires that wish to remain as is can do so aslong as thats what the populus wants.
Friday the government announces a list of local governments with 1000 or less ratepayers,saying ALL of these are not viable due to their low rate payer numbers and they will have to amalgamate.We got on the list in Williams at 930 or similar.
In a worst case senario,Narrogin,who cant sort their stuff out,have both town and outer shires and in the towns respect are hoplessly in debt,will become a regional council.
Our shire has in reserve funds about what narrogin has in debt.We are one of the few shires that pay cash for new machinery rather than having to borrow.We get little in federal grants compared to similar size shires,we dont have huge increases in local rates each year.
Worst case senario for us is it goes ahead,we will only be gauranteed employment for 2 years,after that we could come under a new employer and have to apply for our own jobs.Guessing we will say goodby to our pay arrangements.We get MUCH more than most,we have a generous over award % payment plus we get paid at the 2 top levels for local government outside workers,level 5 and 6,doing the same job at other shires most of our guys would be getting level 3,4 and possibly 4A.How many shire workers do you know that made $65000 last year???,I did and I and my crew worked hard for it.
I cant see benefits with amalgamation,rates going into one big pile and not coming back to the local community.
What have you guys experienced with your "SUPER SHIRES" over there????
PS this has developed into a rant,please shift to the Soapbox if you fellow mods see fit.
Thanks
Andrew

[incisor]

and to celebrate the amalgamation in our area rates went up $500 a year ... for less services as they cancelled a heap of buses on the local time table...

its a wrought imho...

[Bigbjorn]

and to celebrate the amalgamation in our area rates went up $500 a year ... for less services as they cancelled a heap of buses on the local time table...

its a wrought imho...

Didn't know Moreton Regional Council ran the buses. I was sure all the buses up there are private sector. They did get over $2,000,000 for surplus plant sold following the amalgamation.

Amalgamation was a good thing for a lot of small shires as singly they did not have the financial capacity to operate to today's expectations. Amalgamation will also cure a lot of the abuses associated with small closed shops, graft, nepotism, private use of council's facilities and stocks, etc.

Landy Andy, there are a number of Western Qld. shires with small populations and possibly ten times or more the area to service as yours. One used to have only 94 ratepayers and one of the big three cattle companies paid 60% of the rates. One family in the only town in the shire provided the Shire Clerk, Works Overseer, Mechanical Overseer, Senior Rates and Accounts Clerk, and a number of labourers and plant operators. Winton Shire has a population of around 1600, Diamantina Shire only a few hundred, and again, only one "town" Bedourie.

[JDNSW]

Main effect of the change here was a 60% increase in rates. No change in services because I had zero services already. The shire office is about the same distance away, 100km, and is still in a (different) town that I never visit.

John

[incisor]

Didn't know Moreton Regional Council ran the buses. I was sure all the buses up there are private sector.
they do to some degree i believe... now we only get 2 buses a day each way...

the property i just bought out proston way saw a rates rise of 60% or there abouts i am told by locals, but haven't had a chance to confirm for myself...

what gets up a lot of peoples noses is the way it was done, as landyandy alludes too, no notice was taken of who were good manages and who weren't...

[rocket scientist]

There can be light at the end of the tunnel
Many years ago Mansfield & Benalla (North East Vic.) were amalgamated into Delatite Shire.
5 years ago we managed to split from Benalla Shire, and return to a manageable situation.

[lewy]

hey landyandy,just be carefull what wages and conditions you will be working under.different shires have differing conditions,

[V8Ian]

Landy Andy, there are a number of Western Qld. shires with small populations and possibly ten times or more the area to service as yours. One used to have only 94 ratepayers and one of the big three cattle companies paid 60% of the rates. One family in the only town in the shire provided the Shire Clerk, Works Overseer, Mechanical Overseer, Senior Rates and Accounts Clerk, and a number of labourers and plant operators. Winton Shire has a population of around 1600, Diamantina Shire only a few hundred, and again, only one "town" Bedourie.
And you think WA doesn't have large shires and small populations Brian? The thriving metropolis of Marble Bar is in the largest local authority in the country, maybe the world, I can't recall.

[ATH]

I couldn't care less what happens to the 2 major councils near me after having lived under both for over 35 years.
One council got too big so they split it in two, both have been under investigation for crooked dealings, a mayor and councillor before the split were jailed, many contracts handed out to mates and ratepayers locked out of meetings because of "commercial confidentiality"!
Far too many councils/councilors here have been shown to be on the take and WALGA (WA Local Government Association) have the audacity to advertise in the local rag as being "the most trusted form of government" in Australia!!!!
Hey, don't they read the newspapers?:mad:
Alan.

[isuzurover]

Sorry to hear that Andy.

I think that within Perth the amalgamation could be a good thing, and get rid of some layers of beauracracy... We will see...

You never know, you might end up in a job with better pay and conditions ?

[Bigbjorn]

And you think WA doesn't have large shires and small populations Brian? The thriving metropolis of Marble Bar is in the largest local authority in the country, maybe the world, I can't recall.

I am surprised that WA has as many local government areas as it does when you consider that 2/3 to 3/4 of WA contains little beyond sand and suntans. Draw a circle of radius 200 miles centred on Perth and see that there is not much and not many outside other than a few remote mines which combined would not have the population of a couple of Sydney suburbs.

[LandyAndy]

Thanks Guys.
Our annual grant is $43000:eek::eek::eek:
Talk is stick the $43000 and go it alone,we can recoup that easy doing what we do well,Private Works.

Hi Ben,you wont get better pay and conditions than we have,we are known as the highest paid shire workers in WA,ALL DESERVED,before the leaning on shovel jokes start:p:p:p:p

Hi Lewy.
We are VERY concerned about loosing what we have,there is no way ANY of the local to us shires would or could match what we get paid or our productivity.

Hi Dave.
You hit the nail on the head,we have no debt infact a large reserve,yet have very good services for our little town.Good management,why try to fix something that isnt broke!!!

Interesting times ahead.
Andrew

[frantic]

Sorry to stress you more Landandy but what another poster said about reducing nepotisim and cooruption through combining councils is totaly false IMHO.
I live in the illawarra where 2 councils have recently been SACKED for various mismanagement and corruption offences , 1 covers 180,000 people and the other about 70,000! Another example was a certain distant cousin's father was a senior manager in the 60's in a "big" city council that got "amalgamanted" with another and built himself a little empire that had enough swing to ensure his sons managers positions and his wife "contract" cleaning jobs on an hourly rate equal to that of a doctor!:o

[V8Ian]

I am surprised that WA has as many local government areas as it does when you consider that 2/3 to 3/4 of WA contains little beyond sand and suntans. Draw a circle of radius 200 miles centred on Perth and see that there is not much and not many outside other than a few remote mines which combined would not have the population of a couple of Sydney suburbs.
Maybe the Queensland sheep from Joh's days have taught the WA livestock to vote.;):angel::D

[DiscoMick]

I doubt if its it makes much difference to corruption whether a LG is big or small, as it occurs everywhere. The real issue is personal morality, not size.
No doubt some small councils are excellent and some are hopeless. The real answer is to single out the useless ones and abolish them and give their areas to the good ones, but that's not an easy thing to push thru because the most corrupt usually make the most noise, so they tend to survive and the good ones get merged, which is the worst possible result.
Your council could take the initiative and offer to take over its neighbours under certain conditions.
I assume your workplace agreement under amalgamation would include a 'no disadvantage' clause, so you should be protected for some period. After that, welcome to the real world...

[Sprint]

all im gonna say is it's the stupidest thing thats ever happened in local government

[Jamo]

It's a shame Andrew!:( Hope it doesn't turn out too bad for you.

It's been mooted for years, mostly driven by the larger (populacewise) shires and towns; and started with the donut councils in the 90's. The donut towns (ie Narrogin, Northam etc where there is a town LGA surrounded by a shire LGA) all claim that the residents of the surrounding shire uses their facilities, but don't pay. As you've alluded to, what they really mean is that they, the towns, have over captialised building 'aquatic centres' and the like and need the extra cash to attrit debt.

Any nepotism and corruption will not change. It's too easy in local govt due to the make up and the lack of adequate scrutiny.

It will still take some time for any amalgamation to go ahead, I think. But, it could be worse, at least you didn't quit to take up a job at Ravy!:eek: