Mosman Mayor hits back at Manly Council over merger debate

Mosman Mayor Peter Abelson has launched a scathing attack on Manly Council, accusing it of trying to create an empire and make Mosman Council the underdog.

Mosman Council wants to remove as many traffic and road signs as possible to reduce clutter and improve visual amenity. Pictured is Councillor Libby Moline and Mayor Peter Abelson.

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Mosman Mayor Peter Abelson has launched a scathing attack on Manly Council, accusing it of trying to create an empire and make Mosman Council the underdog.

“Manly Council wants to create a new empire with Manly as the centre of the universe and Mosman a mere satellite,’’ Cr Abelson said.

“Everything will be run from The Corso and Manly will want to call the shots.’’

However, Manly Council general manager Henry Wong said it was not the case.

“Mayor Abelson is incorrect in saying that Mosman will be “swallowed up” because the residents of Mosman, Manly and part of Warringah will form a new council,” Mr Wong said.

Cr Abelson has also predicted that a new amalgamated council of Manly, Mosman and part of Warringah would be unworkable.

“Relationships in the new council will be sour,’’ Cr Abelson said, pointing out Mosman would only be represented by two councillors.

“It just won’t work and it will be a complete mess for years.’’

Cr Abelson has also dug his heels in and refused claims from Manly Council that the two areas share common interests.

“They’re not trying to woo us, they’re trying to take us over,’’ Cr Abelson said.

“We don’t have a lot in common. We have very few joint operations.”

In a letter to the Manly Daily, Cr Abelson said he had met twice with Manly Mayor Jean Hay and Mr Wong, and made his position on the merger plan clear.

Mr Wong has listed 10 items of commonality in a letter this week to the Mosman Daily.

The shared interests include public transport, waste management resources, natural assets like Middle Harbour, demographics like household incomes and property values, and “a vision for a better public transport corridor on The Spit and Military Rd’’.

But Cr Abelson has dismissed the arguments.

He said they were simply tactics to win over Mosman Council because Manly Council was “terrified’’ of the alternative of being swallowed up by Warringah Council and being “run from Dee Why’’.

Mr Wong said his letter provided a factual account and “tells the story of a proud and an extraordinary history of collaboration and community of interest between the present-day Mosman and the northern beaches going back to at least the 1930s”.

Warringah Council has also stepped into the fray, pointing out that Mosman, in a new amalgamated council, would be taking on the burden of almost $1 million each year to run the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and Brookvale Oval, plus multimillion-dollar projects like the new Manly Oval carpark and the upgrade of the Andrew Boyd Charlton pool.

Cr Abelson said Warringah Council was trying to add fuel to the fire because of Warringah Council’s vehement opposition to being carved up.