Canterbury and Bankstown to merge following announcement of 19 new councils
CANTERBURY and Bankstown councils will merge to form the Canterbury-Bankstown Council after the State Government announced the creation of 19 new councils today.
Southwest
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- Residents oppose council merger
- Canterbury deemed ‘unfit’ by State Government
- Canterbury Council opens merger talks with Bankstown Council
CANTERBURY and Bankstown councils will merge after the State Government announced the creation of 19 new councils today.
The councils to merge have been sacked and the newly formed entity will be known as the Canterbury-Bankstown Council.
Richard Colley, the delegate assigned to assess the Burwood, Canada Bay, Strathfield amalgamation proposal, is now the administrator of the new council.
Bankstown’s former general manager Matthew Stewart has been named the interim general manager, while former Canterbury general manager Jim Montague assumes the role of deputy interim general manager.
Administrators will run interim councils until elections on September 9, 2017.
Premier Mike Baird made the announcement at a press conference today.
Local Government Minister Paul Toole has also supported, in principle, creating a further nine councils subject to court decisions.
Councils to merge include Auburn and Holroyd (Cumberland Council), Hurstville and Kogarah (Georges River Council), Manly, Pittwater and Warringah (Northern Beaches Council), Ashfield, Leichhardt and Marrickville (Inner West Council), and Parramatta and parts of Hills, Auburn, Holroyd and Hornsby (City of Parramatta Council).
Councils currently awaiting court decisions include Botany and Rockdale, Randwick, Waverly and Woollahra, Ku-ring-gai and Hornsby, and Burwood, Canada Bay and Strathfield.
“Our plan to create stronger new councils in Sydney and regional NSW will be supported by NSW Government investment of about $500 million,” Mr Baird said.
“We are ensuring our communities have stronger and more efficient councils, which will free up money for important projects such as local roads, parks, playgrounds and footpaths,” he said.
Up to $10 million will be given to each new council to meet the costs of merging.
More to come
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