Eastern Suburbs council amalgamation on the agenda

Representatives from Waverley, Randwick and Woollahra councils will meet over coming weeks to discuss potential amalgamation.

The talks will be held in advance of a report being formulated by the Independent Local Government Review Panel, examining the sustainability, structures and boundaries of the state’s 152 councils. The panel is widely anticipated to recommend forced and voluntary mergers when it reports back in March.

Waverley Mayor Sally Betts said it was prudent to “know all of the facts and figures” prior to the recommendations of the report.

“In my opinion, there is definitely a serious push to reduce the number of metropolitan councils,” she said.

“If you want to control your own destiny, you want to know all of the facts and figures. That’s what we’re doing really so that if the State Government [recommends amalgamation] we are in a really good position to make a decision.”

But Randwick Mayor Tony Bowen believes it is unfortunate the prospect of amalgamations is again on the table.

“Unfortunately the the Liberal councils (Waverley and Woollahra) and the Greens in Randwick have taken the view that there should be some discussion. I personally don’t agree with the councils adopting a sort of private take,” he said.

It would take an enormous backflip for the State Government to recommend amalgamation after Premier Barry O’Farrell promised the 152 councils would remain for his term during the 2011 election campaign.

“The State Government actually has backflipped on its promise so I am of the view that the State Government needs to be held to its position,” Mr Bowen said.

An ‘economies of scale’ system will be canvassed in the discussions between the generals managers of the Eastern Suburbs councils. The notion promotes spreading areas of strength and efficiency to enhance productivity.

“One has to assume that if you did it properly there would be an economy of scale. If we are talking about Waverley, Woollahra and Randwick there are some things that all of us do better than each other,” Ms Betts said.

“We should look at those things and then maybe share those resources and implement the system each council has in that specific area. I don’t think residents would be interested unless they got improved services.”

Woollahra Mayor Andrew Petrie is supportive of the amalgamation discussions, but cautioned “residents are going to need an argument of appreciable changes for their benefit that we can’t deliver now”.

“If we’re forced to amalgamate I’ll be saying, ‘Wait, hang on, we’ve got half a million dollars in our bank account, why would we go there?’

“I don’t mind discussion. I haven’t tuned off, and Randwick, Waverley and the Woollahra general managers are about to meet again in the next week or two.

“Frankly, it is prudent for us to do so. Ignoring it is not going to make it go away and I think Sally’s got the right view,” he said.

Resource sharing promises to dominate the discussions, particularly in relation to the shortage of sporting fields in Waverley.

“We have very little land and open space, and really not enough playing fields for our residents,” Ms Betts said. “In Randwick they have much more land than we have. It may well be that together we can rationalise and improve what we offer kids.

“We would have to come out of this being able to deliver better services to our residents.”

Ms Betts also said Bondi Junction had buildings and facilities that could potentially offer wider benefit.

“One of the good things about Waverley is we do have some buildings in Bondi Junction that can be developed to house staff,” she said.

Mr Bowen cautioned the respective Eastern Suburbs council demographics have separate needs and agendas.

“Randwick doesn’t have the urban density that the neighbouring areas of Waverley and Woollahra do. People go there to raise a family because you can be close to the city, close to the beaches but still have a bit of open space and low-density living.

“Randwick is a unique area. It’s largely residential. It’s a different area … Maroubra Bay is not Double Bay.”