Tasman Council to give residents final say on merger with Sorell

After a lost council vote, a mayoral resignation and much divisive debate, the residents of a Tasmanian municipality will now decide if their council should merge with its neighbour.

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

AFTER a lost council vote, a mayoral resignation and much divisive debate, the residents of Tasman municipality will now decide if their council should merge with neighbouring Sorell.

The Tasman Council says the outcome of an elector poll to be held next month will be binding.

Voters will be asked to vote yes or no to an amalgamation into a single new council.

The poll will be conducted by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission over a four-week period beginning with the distribution of ballots and summary information packs from March 13. Voting will close at 10am on April 9.

Tasman Council mayor Kelly Spaulding said a notice of the elector poll would appear in the media today.

Councillor Spaulding said a decision to conduct an elector poll was made in November last year and the council last week agreed to honour the outcome.

If the vote comes back “yes” the merger will be implemented “as soon as reasonably possibly”.

“Either way, the Tasman community will have certainty that the majority decision will be honoured,” Cr Spaulding said.

“Obviously, councillors have views of the issue and are free to express them, but we are committed to the community having its say and that will determine how we move forward.

“We see this as the responsible approach and the best means of ensuring the community gets the outcome it desires.”

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MERGER FAILURE LAST STRAW FOR MAYOR

SORELL RESIDENTS BACK MERGER

The issue has been a divisive one. In August last year, the Tasman Council voted no to a proposed merger despite Sorell giving it the thumbs-up.

Then Tasman mayor Roseanne Heyward was a strong supporter of amalgamation and quit local government after the vote was lost.

A public meeting to discuss the elector poll will be held on February 16 at the Taranna Community Centre between 2pm and 5pm.

Cr Spaulding said the council had discussed the poll with Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein, and the State Government would fund the poll.

“We are grateful for the minister’s support and the provision of government funding for this important initiative that will determine how the Tasman community will be governed in the future,” he said.