Harden Shire Councillors are still in discussions with the Councillors of neighbouring shires, as the June 30 deadline for shire council amalgamation decisions looms closer.
Harden Shire Councillors will be holding a meeting with Young Shire Councillors on April 7th, and hold subsequent meetings with Boorowa and Cootamundra Shire Councillors.
“We are still exploring our options,” said Harden Shire Council Mayor, John Horton. “This is the biggest decision ever made by councils in their history. This decision is about deciding the future of shire councils.”
Currently, three options are open to Council.
The first is to stand alone, which is an option that the Young and Gundagai Shire Councils are seriously exploring.
The second option is to amalgamate with Young and Boorowa. Many concerns have been raised regarding the level of representation for each town in this arrangement, given the sheer size of Young itself.
The third option is to amalgamate with Cootamundra. Due to the smaller size of Cootamundra in comparison to Young, a considerable number of people within the Harden Shire see this as the preferred option if Harden is forced to amalgamate.
A decision will be made after a community consultation period and a vote at Council. No decision has been made, as yet.
“Everything is still up in the air,” said Mayor Horton. In the end, “It’s all about getting the best result for the community,” he said.