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Mosman Council has $100K for possible legal action against amalgamations

A CLOSED extraordinary meeting of Mosman Council decided to allocate $100,000 for potential legal action against the State Government’s two merger proposals.

Mosman delegates at the "Save Our Councils Coalition: Local Democracy - Not Dictatorship" rally at Hyde Park. Picture: Braden Fastier
Mosman delegates at the "Save Our Councils Coalition: Local Democracy - Not Dictatorship" rally at Hyde Park. Picture: Braden Fastier

MOSMAN Council has earmarked $100,000 for a war chest should it decide to battle the State Government’s two merger proposals in the courts.

The figure dwarfs the $42,000 which council estimated it had spent on the amalgamation process by the end of last month.

Mosman Civic Centre. Picture: David Swift
Mosman Civic Centre. Picture: David Swift

Councillors decided to make the additional budget allocation to pay for legal advice and any subsequent legal action in a closed extraordinary council meeting on Tuesday last week.

The meeting was closed for the consideration of legal advice relating to the local government reform process.

Mosman residents at the Save Our Councils Coalition “Local Democracy — Not Dictatorship” anti-merger rally at Hyde Park in March. Picture: Braden Fastier
Mosman residents at the Save Our Councils Coalition “Local Democracy — Not Dictatorship” anti-merger rally at Hyde Park in March. Picture: Braden Fastier

Councillors also agreed for council’s lawyers to be instructed to commence proceedings to restrain the government from amalgamating Mosman with other councils.

This will be subject to the advice of Senior Counsel confirming that such proceedings have reasonable prospects of success and a further resolution of council.

The government has proposed amalgamating Mosman with Manly and part of Warringah councils, or with North Sydney and Willoughby councils.

Mosman mayor Peter Abelson. Picture: Craig Greenhill
Mosman mayor Peter Abelson. Picture: Craig Greenhill

Mosman mayor Peter Abelson made a submission on the second proposal last week, reiterating the community’s strong views against forced mergers.

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/north-shore/mosman-council-has-100k-for-possible-legal-action-against-governments-amalgamation-proposals/news-story/8142ba47c64947248aaa1b566f581a0e