Ian H Dutton from Manilla writes about the Fit for the Future local government reforms process.
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THE only way Guyra and Walcha shires can attempt to stand alone is to place pressure on their elected representatives.
In the areas of New England and the Tamworth electorate, there are at least six members of Parliament.
They are all quiet.
It seems party loyalty is more important to them than the voters the represent.
Remember, MPs, you were elected by us to represent us.
Premier Mike Baird, Deputy Premier Troy Grant and Local Government Minister Paul Toole have all made up their minds as to which councils will be forced to amalgamate.
The Claytons head of government, IPART and KPMG, have spoken.
IPART is run by this government.
They give the pollies their pay rises.
They have set the taxi fares in Tamworth.
They set the rate rises, then they turn around and say certain councils are suddenly financially unviable.
In other words, IPART is as incompetent as the Baird-Grant-led Coalition.
It would be an eye-opener if all councils and shires were to make public the costs incurred to comply with the government’s directives to prove they were financially fit for the future.
Could one local MP inform voters exactly what this government has spent on local government amalgamations?
There’s IPART and KPMG, TV, radio and newspaper ads and the Boundaries Commissioner, to name just a few groups involved, so any so-called savings proposed through amalgamation have already been spent.
The suggestion that Walcha should be part of Tamworth Regional Council beggars belief.
Tamworth Regional Council can not absorb Walcha, although Tamworth Regional Council has demonstrated it has the expenditure to handle big-ticket items.
However, Tamworth Regional Council has also demonstrated it struggles with everyday mundane tasks.
It appears it lacks resources and staff members to finish projects it has committed to.
It wastes valuable resources and labour on overgrown roundabouts.
It highlights footpath faults with yellow stripes of paint.
I guess that is to warn pedestrians that trip hazards exist.
The Tamworth Regional Council cannot find staff or water meter readers in Manilla.
Maybe it has or will privatise the reading of water meters.
Amalgamating Walcha with Tamworth Regional Council will be a backward move.
Manilla has not benefited by being part of the Tamworth Regional Council.
Tamworth Regional Council is far too large at present to be managed successfully.
The money the government is offering to destroy local government would have been better to enhance rural shires and councils to build infrastructure and growth towards the rural population.
