North Sydney and Mosman Councils escape amalgamation chopping block for now

THE lower north shore councils have escaped the merger chopping block — for now — as mass sackings ripple through local government.

Premier Mike Baird and Local Government Minister Paul Toole. Picture: Stephen Cooper

• One northern beaches council announced
• North Sydney to prepare legal challenge
• Council merger plans revealed
• Mosman to start legal challenge against merger

North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson says her council’s “very expensive” legal action won’t save her council from a forced amalgamation with neighbouring Mosman and Willoughby.

Both North Sydney and Mosman were spared from the State Government’s chopping block today as other council’s across NSW were sacked.

In Sydney, a single council was announced for the northern beaches, another for the inner west, and mergers were announced between Auburn and Parramatta and Canterbury and Bankstown.

On the Central Coast a merger was announced between Wyong and Gosford.

North Sydney and Mosman were not included in the amalgamation announcement because both have launched legal action against the merger.

North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson believes North Sydney doesn’t have long left. Picture: Adam Ward

But the reprieve may only be temporary, with Local Government Minister Paul Toole giving “in principle” support to a lower north shore super council combining Mosman, North Sydney and Willoughby.

“I think our very expensive legal action will simply bring us some months grace — hardly responsible expenditure of ratepayer’s funds,” said North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson.

North Sydney has $250,000 in the bank for its legal challenge against the State Government. The hearing at the Land and Environment Court is due at the end of this month.

Genia McCaffery has confidence in North Sydney’s legal action.

Former North Sydney Mayor Genia McCaffery was critical of the State Government’s handling of the statewide council merger process and said it is not listening to the people.

“I believe the State Government is going to be thrown out. People are really angry,” she said.

Ms McCaffery, mayoral mentor at Local Government NSW, was “really optimistic” that North Sydney’s legal case will be successful. She pointed out that North Sydney has no debt and low rates — and that merging would not benefit the community.

“For North Sydney there’s nothing in it for us,” she said.

Mosman Mayor Peter Abelson is against the merger.

Mosman has a $100,000 war chest for its legal action also due to be heard at the end of the month.

Mosman Mayor Peter Abelson said the council remained strongly opposed to merging with North Sydney and Willoughby.

“It’s completely unnecessary,” he said.

“Yesterday I was at a thank-you afternoon tea for council volunteers which was well attended.

“We have about 330 volunteers.

“It was a wonderfully warm occasion where people really related to that community spirit.

“To put this kind of community spirit at risk just shows just no understanding and no empathy for our local community’s work and it’s just shocking.”

Willoughby Mayor Gail Giles-Gidney. Picture: David Swift

The original plan for a merger between Mosman, Manly and the southern half of Warringah is now off the cards.

A single northern beaches council will be created with the merger between Manly, Warringah and Pittwater going ahead.

Willoughby Council mayor Gail Giles-Gidney had not been updated by State Government on the mergers but said it made sense to hold off completing the amalgamation process between North Sydney and Mosman until their battle in the courts was done.

“I think it makes sense to resolve the court issues on the amalgamation before we move ahead with any mergers,” Cr Giles-Gidney said.

“I think we need to be practical and to go through the process of amalgamation because this is something that will be a time consuming undertaking and we need to make sure our community is being represented. It is about getting the best representation for our community.”

Cr Giles-Gidney was hopeful current councillors would be given the chance to sit on the new council bodies before elections were held next year.

“I think if elected representatives expressed an interest in sitting on the interim council then it would be good to see them given a chance to be involved,” she said.

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