Sorell residents back merger

THE Sorell community is the first in Tasmania to come out overwhelmingly in support of proposed council mergers.

Former Sorell Council mayor Carmel Torenius, centre, with community residents Mavis Wilkins, left, and Saakia Itchins. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

THE Sorell community is the first in Tasmania to come out overwhelmingly in support of proposed council mergers.

Eighty four per cent of respondents to a council survey favoured a voluntary merger and 29 per cent of those favoured a great south eastern council, comprising Sorell, Clarence, Tasman and Glamorgan Spring Bay.

Twenty four per cent favoured an amalgamation of Clarence, Sorell and Tasman.

Sorell Mayor Kerry Vincent said the survey showed a strong appetite for mergers in the community.

“It was a very strong indication that some form of merger is wanted,” said Cr Vincent, right.

“We are the central municipality in the area, so there are a lot of options for us.”

Last year a KPMG report found the creation of a great south eastern council would save $7.6 million a year.

Merging Clarence, Sorell and Tasman would save $6.3 million a year, an amalgamation of Glamorgan Spring Bay, Sorell and Tasman $2.5 million and Sorell and Tasman combining would save $1.2 million.

The survey was distributed by the council earlier this year. It has not agreed on a preferred

model and has asked the Local Government Division to do further due diligence on the pros and cons of each model.

“We are hoping that this firms up the models and shows us the impacts it would have on staff,” Cr Vincent said.

Following the 2014 local government elections, the State Government put voluntary amalgamations on the table and has provided councils with funds to model scenarios.

But the process has been painstakingly slow.

A KPMG report released by the Government and eight northern councils yesterday found expanded resource sharing or outsourcing transactional services could result in a $3.3 million saving a year for Launceston, George Town, Dorset, Break O’Day, Northern Midlands, West Tamar, Flinders Island and Meander Valley councils.

But despite the lack of movement, Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein said no councils would be forced to merge.

“Reform has to be driven by local communities and their councils and I commend the Sorell Council for sensibly working with its community as well as its neighbouring councils to deliver the best services possible at the lowest cost to ratepayers,” Mr Gutwein said.

Glamorgan Spring Bay has just launched community consultation on mergers and Clarence is set to finalise its survey at its next council meeting later this month.

Cr Vincent also said an impending KPMG study of an amalgamation between Glamorgan Spring Bay and Break O’Day would further delay the process.

“At this stage we are expecting to be in a position to move forward by Christmas,” he said.

“We are just waiting for some other councils to play catch-up.”

Sorell resident of 27 years Saakia Itchins previously voted against amalgamation for Sorell but said circumstances had changed.

“I’ve changed my mind on mergers,” she said.

“Sorell is experiencing such rapid growth, we need it.”

Meanwhile, Mr Gutwein is expected to make an announcement on resuspending the Glenorchy City Council aldermen for another six months on Monday.

The ban expires at midnight on Tuesday.