Plans to bring back Holroyd Council and split from Cumberland
A western Sydney council that claims the State Government set it up to fail is fighting back after forced amalgamations.
Parramatta
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A western Sydney council where some ratepayers bear the “absurd, unequitable” burden of paying $40 million than others in the same local government area is fighting back.
More than three years after forced council amalgamations, a push for former Holroyd Council to stand alone is ramping up.
The council merged with parts of Auburn and Parramatta councils in 2016 but residents living in the former Holroyd area have forked out $40 million more in rates over the past three years, fuelling the push to split and deamalgamate.
Prospect state Labor MP Hugh McDermott is driving the campaign and sent petitions to constituents that live under the former Holroyd area.
In a letter attached to the petition, he said the forced Liberal Government amalgamations had no legitimacy.
“Labor does not support forced mergers, nor do we support forced demergers,’’ he said.
Amalgamation opponent, councillor Greg Cummings, slammed the fact former Holroyd ratepayers had to fork out more than Auburn and Parramatta residents.
“We’re an organisation of ($) 200 million and until we’ve harmonised the rates, this absurd, unequitable divvying up — where one half of this council carries the burden of this council — is unsustainable,’’ he said.
“And it wasn’t the Holroyd ratepayers’ fault, that, in their (government’s) wisdom, they divided the most lucrative part of the former Auburn area and farmed it out to Parramatta.
“Or was it a clandestine cause by the Liberal State Government to make sure that this council is destined to fail? (Be) poverty stricken?”
Cr Cummings blasted the mergers during a meeting when the council axed four community committees as a way to save money — a move he labelled “a Band-Aid for severed limbs”.
“Try and think of ways we’re going to get income and we’re going to harmonise our rates so that we can continue to service the community with the services they so richly deserve,’’ he said.
But Cumberland Mayor Steve Christou said while he initially opposed amalgamations he did not want to “return to yesteryear”.
“The reality is talks of a demerger are driven by a small band of people making a lot of noise and thinking they are better than the rest of our community,’’ he said.
“While Dr McDermott and I agree on many things, when it comes to a demerger, our positions are in stark contrast.
“I would say to any councillor who doesn’t support the Cumberland community or council’s strategic direction, to do themselves and their local residents a favour and not bother standing at the next election.
“Stop longing for a return to yesteryear and stop selling ratepayers the myth that we’re going to somehow demerge.”
Cr Cummings has repeatedly stated that Holroyd residents are shelling out rates for facilities they would not use, such as the $23 million Granville Mulitpurpose Centre, which is still under construction.
But the mayor said services and upgrades were being distributed fairly across the community and listed projects including the Wentworthville pool upgrade as an example.
He said the Woodville ward (Granville and South Granville), formerly under Parramatta Council, was neglected and residents were receiving upgrades “like never seen before” under Cumberland’s control.
“My ward and many other wards are thriving, thanks to Cumberland Council,’’ he said.
Local Government Minister Shelley Hancock did not respond to questions.
TERRITORY LOST
In the same meeting this month, Cumberland Council lost a bid to regain parts of Mays Hill and Parramatta West that used to fall under Holroyd.
This included the area bounded by the Great Western Highway, Burnett St, the M4, and Pitt, Banks and Steele St, which in 2016 was handed to Parramatta, where it will remain after community consultation was completed.
The council’s attempt to gain North Granville failed but Cr Cummings was “relieved” that it was staying with Parramatta Council “because they’ve finally got off their backside and are now implementing some infrastructure in that area”.
This includes more upgrades to the Gray St playground, FS Garside sports field, Onslow St carpark and Alfred St cycleway under the council’s North Granville draft masterplan.
However, he was disappointed over the Mays Hill/Parramatta West precinct.
“I believe the former Holroyd Council had a lot of community-minded organisations in there and I know that those organisations … would have preferred to be under this council but that wasn’t to be,’’ he said.