Holdfast Bay wants to take two western suburbs from Marion Council
Holdfast Bay Council has hatched a plan to take Marino and Glengowrie from Marion Council because it says the residents are already using their services and are part of the coastal family.
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Two western Adelaide suburbs would be annexed from Marion Council under a plan devised in Holdfast Bay.
Marino and Glengowrie would shift across under the push led by by Holdfast Bay Mayor Amanda Wilson that already has the support of residents and a local MP.
Councillors will next week be asked to support residents in making an application to the Boundaries Commission for the council borders to be redrawn.
Holdfast Bay would provide material help to the community in lodging an application by advising them on what was needed and assisting in collating information to make their case.
Mrs Wilson said moving the suburbs into her council had been “constantly” raised by community groups and individual residents over a number of years.
She believed Marino was “already part of Holdfast Bay”.
“They use our facilities, they’re zoned to our schools and they use our beaches,” Mrs Wilson said.
“For Glengowrie, I think a lot of people are there because they want to be in Glenelg East – and they are in Glenelg East.
“The community is cut in half and, absolutely with Glengowrie, they’re part of our community already.”
Mrs Wilson said Holdfast Bay wanted to invest more in services on its southern border that would ultimately be used by Marino residents.
Economic modelling from the council also found residents of Glengowrie spent $39 million each year in the Holdfast Bay district.
It was understood Marion Council currently collected about $1.7 million in rates from properties in Marino and $5.6 million in Glengowrie.
The total rates bills had the potential to be cut to $1.2 million and $3.9 million respectively owing to Holdfast Bay’s lower rate in the dollar.
Fleur Lerwill – a committee member of the Marino resident group 5049 Coastal Community – said locals “would welcome the opportunity” to be part of the process of shifting councils.
Liberal MP for Black David Speirs, whose electorate includes Marino, said he was “broadly supportive” of the move.
“It’s something that residents have been mentioning to me for years,” Mr Speirs said.
“As the local MP but also the deputy mayor of Marion for some years, I’m of the view that in terms of geographical consistency it makes sense.
“Socially and economically, it makes sense.”
He also believed Seacliff Park should be considered as part of the process because it was split across Holdfast Bay and Marion councils.
Marion Mayor Kris Hanna has been contacted for comment.