New! City of Canning’s submission to Local Govt Advisory Board (next stage of council amalgamation process) PLUS public information powerpoint presentation HERE

New! City of Gosnell’s submission to Local Govt Advisory Board to be found HERE
(Pls note:  Indicative actions only; no analysis uploaded)

As reported on ABC news tonight – a leaked report reveals Canning is to be merged with Gosnells.

Council merger updates as they occur below

Gosnells is in the fortunate position of still having a Mayor and Councillors in place to represent residents’ concerns in the merger process.

The City of Canning’s Council was suspended in November 2012, leaving its 90,000 residents with no elected representatives to oversee the amalgamation with Gosnells.

We will reveal more about the mooted merger as it comes to light.

EARLIER GENERAL UPDATES AS COUNCILS REACT TO REFORM PROPOSALS:

• Premier says there will be no room for negotiation on mergers, beyond minor tweaking
• No forced council mergers in regional WA
  (The West Australian)
  Nationals Leader Brendon Grylls reveals he’s struck a deal with Premier Colin Barnett to support changes to metropolitan council boundaries provided no forced mergers took place in regional WA, and says the Premier had a mandate to redraw metro boundaries.
  INCLUDES AERIAL FOOTAGE OF VINCENT CARVE UP.
• 6PR:  Interview with Lord Mayor on City of Perth’s now increased lands and assets
• Victoria Park to ‘lose millions‘ in City of Perth expansion (WAToday)
  A spokesperson for Mr Barnett said that further changes to be announced could  “potentially make up for the loss” of revenue for Victoria Park.  The Chamber of Commerce and Industry backed expanding the City of Perth stating there was  “clear evidence” of savings in the cost of delivering services and advantages in  terms of improved capacity.  Committee for Perth feels the expansion of City of Perth’s boundaries “step in the right direction”.
• City of Perth boundaries expanded (The West Australian)
  The City of Perth will gain $2 million in rates and 10,000 new residents with its revised borders confirmed.
• City of Perth boundary changes include Leederville, Burswood, Beaufort St (PerthNow)
  The over-emphasis on Alannah MacTiernan’s views about the proposed council mergers continues.
• Updated:  Original ABC story leaking  Council mergers
  Opposition Leader Mark McGowan angry at yet another broken promise.  WAPC Commissioner speaks.  Councils worried their town plans will now be wasted work.
• City of Perth granted extra lands and assets (WAToday)
  Will now oversee Burswood, UWA, QEII, Kings Park, Leederville Café strip…. includes map of redrawn City of Perth boundaries.
• Mayors ready to fight Barnett (The West Australian)
  “Prominent mayors have vowed to revolt against the State Government and voiced grave concerns about next week’s local government reform announcement.”
• Merger details loom (Community News)
  “Included in the report’s advice was a larger role for the State Government in waste disposal, greater links between the Government and councils for strategic planning, a mayors’ forum headed by the City of Perth and compulsory voting in council elections.”
• Views of Committee for Perth, right-wing think tank recently invoked by Minister for Local Govt, as part of the reform process.Will the Committee’s response to the Metropolitan Local Government Review Panel’s Draft Findings turn out to be a preview of what’s to come in the reforming of local govts?Pls note:  The Committee responded to DRAFT findings dated April 2012.  Not all findings were carried through as the Panel’s final recommendations.  Therefore the substantive items only that the Committee offered an alternate view to the Panel on are listed below:-(1) does not support compulsory voting in local govt elections
  (2) has reservations about planning powers returning to local govt
  (3) did support local govts operating as private enterprises but provided a focus suggesting this could allow Councils to develop affordable housing, made available as shared-equity purchases, and thus infill unused and under-utilised land.
  Note:  the call for local govts to be able to operate as trading enterprises was not included in the Panel’s final recommendations.The Committee for Perth supported enhancement of the City of Perth’s size and capacities.
• Dept of Local Government’s Director General, Jennifer Matthews, appearing in the Committee for Perth’s February 2013 newsletter
  “There is a clear synergy between many of the findings and recommendations in the review report and the vision and strategies outlined in the Committee for Perth’s Towards a Bright Future.”