Tasman Council to vote against council merger plan after Sorell Council says a resounding yes

UPDATED: THE TCCI is calling for the State Government to intervene in council mergers after the Tasman Council torpedoed a proposed merger with the Sorell Council.

Sorell Mayor Kerry Vincent in the public gallery during the Tasman Council meeting at Nubeena. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.

UPDATED: THE Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is calling for the State Government to intervene in council mergers after the Tasman Council torpedoed a proposed merger with the Sorell Council.

The Tasman Council voted against the merger at a meeting on Wednesday afternoon, a day after the Sorell Council unanimously voted in favour of the amalgamation.

Both councils needed to vote in favour of amalgamation for the voluntary merger to go ahead.

Tasman Mayor Roseanne Heyward said the council voted four to three against merging.

“Majority rules, and so the merger subject is off now — finished, done,” Cr Heyward said.

Cr Heyward voted to support the merge.

“My personal view [is that] I fear for the sustainability for the council into the future,” she said.

Tasman Mayor Roseanne Heyward, right, during the Tasman Council meeting at Nubeena. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.

The two councils indicated in August last year they wished to further investigate a possible amalgamation, following extensive public consultation.

A Local Government Board report published earlier this month recommended they pursue voluntary amalgamation.

TCCI chief executive Michael Bailey said it was time for the State Government to “step up to the plate and to make some tough decisions”.

“The TCCI believes that it’s time for [Local Government Minister] Peter Gutwein to intervene,” Mr Bailey said.

SORELL RESIDENTS BACK COUNCIL MERGER

“The proposed merger between Sorell … and Tasman just made so much sense. The fact that Tasman voted it down today is a disaster for the state.

“I think specifically here, and I think also generally, for local government reform to happen in Tasmania, the policy of letting local government determine their own future has failed.”

A Sorell and Tasman merge would have been the first voluntary council amalgamation since the State Government put the issue back on the agenda in 2014.

Mr Gutwein said it was disappointing that the Tasman Council had voted against the amalgamation.

Tasman Mayor Roseanne Heyward during the Tasman Council meeting at Nubeena. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.

“However, this is a matter for the two councils involved as the Government’s very clear position has always been that for voluntary amalgamation to work, it must be driven by local communities and their councils,” Mr Gutwein said.

“We have been clear that we will not be forcing amalgamations and our position has not changed.”

Sorell Mayor Kerry Vincent said Tasman’s decision was disappointing for both the Sorell and Tasman municipalities.

“The long-term sustainability of councils has literally been ignored by just a few,” Cr Vincent said.

Labor Local Government spokesman David O’Byrne said Tasman’s decision was another blow to Mr Gutwein’s local government agenda.

EARLIER: SORELL Mayor Kerry Vincent has hailed the council’s decision to back a merger with Tasman Council as “a fantastic step forward”.

In a unanimous vote, the south-east Tasmanian council voted in favour of amalgamating with Tasman Council, in line with a recommendation in a recent Local Government Board report.

“Last night was a very strong show of support towards the [merger] and a showing by the Sorell councillors that things need to change,” Cr Vincent said.

“It was a very sensible move to strengthen the whole region for the benefits of all ratepayers.

“Now that we’ve made that decision, if Tasman decides to do it too there’s a whole multitude of things to work through.”

Tasman councillors will meet at 1pm today to cast their votes on the proposed merger.

If the Tasman Council also votes in favour, it will be the first voluntary council amalgamation since the State Government put the issue back on the agenda in 2014.

Tasman Mayor Roseanne Heyward said the merger had been passionately discussed in her municipality for years.

“Until the actual council meeting is finished, I have no idea what will happen. It’s all still in the air,” Cr Heyward said.

Cr Vincent said he was proud of the way the Sorell meeting was conducted and congratulated the councillors on their mature approach to the proposal.

“All councillors understood the short and long-term economics of running a small regional council. At the moment all councils are competing for same money and same resources, and that was taken into consideration,” he said.

“Our councillors shows a level of maturity and common sense, and last night was a culmination of a lot of work over several years.”

The two councils indicated last August they wished to further investigate a possible merger, following extensive public consultation.

Cr Vincent said what the amalgamated council would look like was a work in progress, but a nine-member council could possibly represent the new-look municipality.