Campbelltown, Adelaide Hills councils in stoush over who should control land in Rostrevor, Woodforde
Two councils are at loggerheads over which of them should control a pair of Adelaide suburbs – and the associated $1 million in rate revenue.
Adelaide Hills
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A war of words has erupted between two prominent mayors over proposed boundary changes worth more than $1 million in rate revenue.
Campbelltown Council has announced it will push ahead with its proposal to annex the suburbs of Rostrevor and Woodforde, despite a public appeal by Adelaide Hills Council to withdraw the proposition.
The move came as a survey found more than 60 per cent of residents were against the rezoning; 80 per cent of whom were Rostrevor residents.
Adelaide Hills Mayor Jan-Claire Wisdom and Deputy Mayor Nathan Daniell made a deputation at the Campbelltown meeting this week, saying the survey showed it was not “in the interests of our communities for Campbelltown to commit significant resources” to pursue the changes.
“We therefore don’t believe it’s in the interests of our communities for Campbelltown to commit significant resources in pursuing a boundary realignment that does not have the underlying support of the residents who live there,” the deputation said.
Campbelltown was given permission by the Local Government Boundaries Commission to begin the second stage of claiming large parts of Woodforde and Rostrevor from its eastern neighbour in July last year.
The change will affect 495 property owners who are paying more than $1 million a year in rates to Adelaide Hills Council.
The area includes the new Hamilton Hill residential development on the site of the former Magill Youth Training Centre and Rostrevor College.
Campbelltown Mayor Jill Whittaker said her council’s move to push ahead with the rezoning proposal followed requests by locals.
“We’re really in the exploring phase at this stage … as a number of people in these local communities told us that they want to be part of Campbelltown,” Ms Whittaker said.
“So what we’re asking is for a cooperative relationship with the Adelaide Hills Council as, in the end, this is about the residents who may well benefit from coming to Campbelltown, or they may not.”
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Data provided to the Adelaide Hills News shows a total of 268 people participated in the Adelaide Hills Council survey, which was circulated in November 2019.
Almost two-thirds of respondents were opposed to the Campbelltown proposal, while 28 per cent expressed their support.
The remaining 7 per cent were either undecided or had no preference.
Of the Rostrevor residents who completed the survey, more than 80 per cent were against the proposal.