Poll shows readers support merger of Marion and Holdfast Bay Councils
A majority of people support Marion mayor Kris Hanna’s suggestion to merge Marion and Holdfast Bay councils, according to a poll by The Advertiser.
- Kris Hanna suggests merger between Marion and Holdfast Bay
- Prizes, discounts, freebies: Check out the latest subscriber rewards
A majority of people support a merger between Holdfast Bay and Marion Councils, an Advertiser poll has revealed.
Marion Mayor Kris Hanna raised the stakes and called for a merger earlier this week. after learning Holdfast Bay Council was proposing to poach two of his blue chip suburbs.
Holdfast Bay Mayor Amanda Wilson had successfully launched a push to apply to the Boundaries Commission for endorsement of a Marino and Glengowrie shift from Marion’s control.
But the proposal was denounced by Mr Hanna, who accused Holdfast Bay of trying to bolster its rate revenue. It would be better, he said, to combine the two councils.
According to a poll on the Advertiser’s website, two-thirds of readers side with Mr Hanna in the debate.
Out of nearly 300 people who responded to the poll, 66 per cent said Marion and Holdfast Bay Councils should amalgamate.
“Oh for goodness sakes, cobble the two together and get on with it,” reader Marco said.
And Matt said it seemed like Holdfast Bay “only wanted Marino and Glengowrie because of the money, not the principle.”
“A merger is a much better idea,” he wrote.
Other readers suggested that the amalgamation of Holdfast Bay and Marion did not go far enough and West Torrens and Charles Sturt should also be included.
However, some Holdfast Bay residents expressed concern that their rates would increase if the two councils joined together, because of Holdfast Bay’s lower rate in the dollar.
Marion councillor Bruce Hull thought discussions about a merger were “premature”.
“I hope to see the day that Marion Council has parity with Holdfast Bay’s rate in the dollar,” Cr Hull said.
“We are heading on that trajectory but I think we’re about 10 years away from that.
”Only then could we talk about a merger so Holdfast Bay residents are not disadvantaged.”
Cr Hull added that it was not “useful” to have Mayors “rattling their chains at each other” and criticised Holdfast Bay for targeting Marion’s “lucrative” suburbs.
Fellow councillor Tim Gard said the idea had merit and that some residents in Marino would be happy because their rates would be lower.
However, he said, others may be upset if services were reduced.
“Holdfast Bay has a comparative advantage in rates at the moment but you have to look at the strength of the council’s financial position and it does worry me that Holdfast Bay is in a tenuous position,” Cr Gard said.