Former mayor continues fight for de-amalgamation

FORMER Isis Shire Mayor Bill Trevor has not abandoned his attempt to de-amalgamate from Bundaberg Regional Council.

BID TO SPLIT: Former Isis Shire mayor Bill Trevor wants the Isis de-amalgamation bid looked at again. Picture: Scott Thompson

FORMER Isis Shire Mayor Bill Trevor has not abandoned his attempt to de-amalgamate from Bundaberg Regional Council.

Former Local Government Minister David Crisafulli last week turned down the shire's bid to go its own way.

He said expert analysis of the former shire's bid to split from Bundaberg had shown Isis would be financially distressed from day one.

"While there's no doubting the community's passion, a reinstated council would be financially distressed from day one," he said.

Mr Crisafulli said Queensland Treasury Corporation found the cost to de-amalgamate would be $6,791,000, or an extra $1054 per ratepayer in the first year.

There would also be ongoing costs of an extra $569 per ratepayer in the second year, rising every year thereafter.

But Mr Trevor doesn't buy those figures.

And he said a meeting of the Isis De-amalgamation Committee to be held this evening would look at the issue again.

"We're dumbfounded, bewildered and angry," he said.

"There's no rhyme nor reason for those figures.

"We're going to try to find out how they were calculated."

An example was the $780,000 it had been calculated would need to be spent on setting up IT services, while Mr Trevor said they had a quote of $295,000.
"I think the report opens up more questions than answers," he said.

Mr Trevor said feelings were still running high in the old Isis Shire over the decision.

"People in the street are telling me they're not happy, they're saying that shouldn't be the end of it," he said.

Mr Trevor said if the committee decided to push ahead for de-amalgamation it would open up a period of community consultation.

"If we decide we need to we'll go back to public meetings," he said.

"We'll get some facts and figures together."

Mr Trevor said Bundaberg Regional Council claimed it was spending $10 million a year in the Isis area, but could not tell him where that was being spent.

He said there should be no trouble getting Mr Crisafulli to reopen the case.

"In any democratic society you always have the opportunity to go to you elected representatives," he said.

"We may have to sit down with the minister again in the new year."