Secrecy over Campbelltown Council’s cost of formal inquiry into Adelaide Hills Council land grab

An Adelaide council trying to snatch land from a neighbour – and more than $1.2m in rates – is keeping secret the cost of a formal inquiry, which is capped at $550,000.

An Adelaide council is keeping secret the details and cost of a formal investigation into a land grab from a neighbouring council, even though it may fail.

Campbelltown Council is investigating boundary change with Adelaide Hills Council that would give it two Hills suburbs – Rostrevor and Woodforde – along with more than $1.2m in rates every year.

Adelaide Hill Council and surveyed ratepayers have twice rejected the land grab.

Last year, the Local Government Boundaries Commission ignored ACH’s opposition and green-lit an inquiry and this week told the Hills council it had appointed an investigator.

However, Campbelltown City Council is keeping secret the cost of the formal investigation and refused to discuss it in public last week.

Campbelltown Mayor Jill Whittaker said she couldn’t divulge what council had discussed, nor that it was going ahead with the inquiry, nor why it was kept secret.

“As to the reasons, I couldn’t tell you, because I don’t know, it wasn’t my decision,” she said.

“We are working through a process with the boundary commission.”

The Adelaide Hills foothills seen from the air, looking over the Campbelltown Council area. Picture: Supplied

Council minutes show it discussed an ‘Inquiry Plan Cost Estimate’ in secret last week because it was “contrary to the public interest” and was “commercial information of a confidential nature”.

The evaluation for the formal inquiry by the commission is capped at $550,000, tender documents reveal.

Ms Whittaker called the $550,000 figure “wild” and “speculative”.

Adelaide Hills Mayor Jan-Claire Wisdom confirmed her council remained opposed and said a letter from the commission this week proposed to appoint an investigator.

“It does not indicate at this time if CCC have deliberated or resolved to go ahead with the final stage of the investigation,” she said. “Nor are any costings given.

“Two community surveys in the past couple of years have both shown a majority of affected residents are against leaving Adelaide Hills Council and merging with CCC. Council’s position on this matter has not changed. Our commitment is to support the wishes of our communities in Woodforde and Rostrevor.

“We will put forward our communities’ case at every opportunity.”

AHC said it would lose $1.5m in rates, while Campbelltown would gain about $1.24m, and it suggested those suburbs could be “strongly subsidising” the Hills area.

It has proposed a transition phase for transferring the income over a four-year period.

Ms Whittaker said her council area had a long-standing relationship with the people in Rostrevor and Woodforde and they used its parks, playgrounds and services.

“With cost of living, it might be something that could be of interest for people paying higher mortgages in they’re living in that area,” she said.

“I meet them all the time in our clubs, which have been paid for by Campbelltown ratepayers … one thing we’re looking at is fairness and equity, and cost-of-living pressure that perhaps can be dealt with.”

The section in blue is the part Campbelltown Council is proposing to annex from Adelaide Hills Council. Picture: Supplied

A Campbelltown survey in 2021 found 62 per cent of residents surveyed rejected it, mirroring a similar result by the Hills council in 2019.

Campbelltown Council says the land grab makes sense because residents from the two suburbs – which includes the Hamilton Hill development – go to schools in the area, use its roads, supermarkets, parks and services, and are more closely linked there than to the Adelaide Hills.

Morialta Residents’ Association Secretary Steve Swann – who lives in the Adelaide Hills Council area – said Campbelltown residents had no idea if the council had voted to accept the cost and pay for an inquiry that may not “rule in their favour”.

He said the land grab was “totally about rates and revenue”.

“The argument is we use their services and roads, we need to be part of their community, we have close historical ties. We really don’t – this is a unique area.

“They’re going spend up to $550,000 of ratepayers’ money, and they don’t even know if they have a chance of winning – or is it just a good roll of the dice for $1m on rates a year?

“A boundary inquiry for the Town of Gawler was costed at $379,500 in 2022 – why was that made public if such information ‘commercial in confidence’?”

Campbelltown ratepayer Jackie Miers said the council needed to improve roads and footpaths, not focus on “glorification projects”.

‘We don't even know if this will be successful – this money will be spent regardless. This council can’t look after the roads and rubbish bins it already has.”

Originally published as Secrecy over Campbelltown Council’s cost of formal inquiry into Adelaide Hills Council land grab