When councils foot the bill, local communities pay

Dear Minister Hoenig,
Local government is the closest level of government to communities. When the state government shifts costs onto local councils, and rates are capped, councils are forced to make cuts to essential local services. Local councillors shouldn’t be forced to choose between maintenance of roads and footpaths, local sporting facilities or public libraries.
We expect the state government to fund emergency services like Fire & Rescue NSW, the State Emergency Service and the Rural Fire Service. Former Coalition Minister for Planning, Anthony Roberts admitted that forced amalgamation of councils was a “failed policy”. It hasn’t delivered its promised efficiencies, and has proven to be deeply unpopular in communities who are demanding demerger.
It’s the responsibility of the NSW Government to fix their own mess, not local communities who have had their local democratic representation diminished since the forced amalgamation of their councils.
I eagerly await to hear if you will reconsider your recent decisions to force the increased Emergency Services Levy and costs of de-amalgamation onto local communities.

I would like to BCC myself

When councils foot the bill, local communities pay

In 2016 the NSW Government forced local councils across NSW to merge. For years, local communities have paid the price and campaigned tirelessly to demerge and reinstate local democracy.

Now, the NSW Labor Government is going to force local communities to fork out the money to fund their own demergers.

This comes just after the NSW Labor Government slammed local councils with a sky-high increase in the Emergency Services Levy. The state government also imposes a cap on council rates, forcing councils to cut funding for essential services like local sporting facilities, libraries or maintaining roads and footpaths.

The NSW Labor Government’s proposed change will affect people in communities right across our state, from the Inner West, to Canterbury-Bankstown, the Northern Beaches, Cootamundra-Gundagai, and Tumbarumba. Paying for a demerger is the financial responsibility of the NSW Government — as is funding our essential emergency services. Find out more here.

Email the Local Government Minister NOW demanding the NSW Government clean up their own mess and don’t leave local councils footing the bill.