Paul Toole says mergers could make some local councils in Sydney more efficient

By Leesha McKenny
Updated April 24 2014 - 5:14pm, first published 4:51pm
New role: Local Government Minister Paul Toole believes in the benefits of council mergers. Photo: Jon Reid
New role: Local Government Minister Paul Toole believes in the benefits of council mergers. Photo: Jon Reid
Mergers: Bathurst MP Paul Toole. Photo: Nick Moir
Mergers: Bathurst MP Paul Toole. Photo: Nick Moir

Some Sydney councils could be more efficient if they merged, the state's new Local Government Minister says.

But Paul Toole stopped short of signalling they would soon be required to, reiterating the government’s policy of no forced amalgamations.

The Bathurst MP, who was sworn into the ministry on Wednesday, takes on the portfolio with first-hand experience dealing with what could be the most contentious issue of his new job.

He served as a councillor on Evans Shire Council before it was forced to merge with Bathurst in 2005.

Mr Toole went on to become mayor of the merged body, the Bathurst Regional Council.

In January, Mr Toole told his local paper, the Western Advocate, that ‘‘few people can’t say the joining of Bathurst and the former Evans Shire into one hasn’t been successful’’.

His comments followed the findings of a $1.8million review commissioned by the state government that said reform of NSW's 152 councils should include mergers.

Mr Toole told the paper the review’s proposal that Bathurst and Oberon be merged was probably ‘‘still a long way off", and there was more to be gained in the short term by amalgamating smaller Sydney councils.

Asked about the remarks this week, Mr Toole said: ‘‘My experience as a former long-serving councillor taught me that some councils, including metropolitan councils, do have the potential for merging with others to achieve greater economic efficiencies.

“However, any changes will be developed in partnership with councils and their communities and I look forward to having these discussions and continuing the NSW government’s work in this area."

The opposition’s local government spokeswoman Sophie Cotsis called on Mr Toole to ‘‘provide certainty’’ for councils by outlining which recommendations of the Independent Local Government Review Panel the Baird government was going to adopt.

‘‘The former minister for local government, Don Page, sat on these reports for three months, then asked for more public comment on them,’’ she said.

Mr Toole said he would consider the community’s feedback before presenting the government’s response ‘‘in due course’’.

“This reform is about making sure we lay the foundations for a stronger, sustainable local government sector,’’ he said.

Any change in the government’s stance on amalgamations is likely to cause alarm in the local government sector, where many councils are staunchly opposed to mergers.

The sector's peak body, Local Government NSW, has requested an urgent meeting with Mr Toole and Premier Mike Baird to discuss the ongoing reforms.

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