The Council livestream from last Wednesday’s meeting.
A vote to hold a poll of electors regarding a demerger of Hilltops Council was listed in the Notice of Motion section of the July Council Business paper for the consideration of Councillors.
The Notice of Motion stated, “That Council: In accordance with the provisions of Section 14, Local Government Act 1993 (the Act) 1.
At the earliest opportunity and in conjunction with a Local Government Election, Council resolve to conduct a poll of electors for the purpose of gaining community guidance for Hilltops Council and to assess community sentiment regarding any demerger of Hilltops Council.
With the following question be asked at the poll: Do you support the demerger of the Hilltops Council and re-formation of the former Boorowa Shire, Harden Shire and Young Shire ? Yes OR No 2.
Council advise the NSW Electoral Commissioner or any other person conducting the first Council Election occurring between 1st September 2022 and 30 September 2024 of the inclusion of a Section 14 Poll to be conducted at in conjunction with such election.”
The background and summary stated, “Since the forced merger of the former Local Government areas of Young Shire, Harden Shire and Boorowa Shire there has been considerable and ongoing debate regarding the desire of the residents of the three former Local Government Areas to demerge and re-establish the Councils of Boorowa, Harden and Young.”
“These issues range from a claimed lack of broad community support for the merger, to declining service levels, non-responsive customer service, dramatically increased costs and the poor financial performance of Hilltops since its inception. Despite the former Premier and his Ministers making claims of greater efficiencies and financial stability through increased scale and capacity, such benefits have not been realised and this failure is widely acknowledged within Hilltops and its many communities.”
“By adopting this notice of motion Council will clearly confirm its resolve to democratic process, demonstrate that it has a real desire to engage with all its electors and community at a level that is totally fearless, and will allow elected members of Councils to act in full consideration of community sentiment.”
Several Notices of Motion were put forward in the previous term of Council with Councillor Stadtmiller and Councillor Manchester the only Councillors to support the motions which included demerging and also holding a poll.
The result of the Motion on Wednesdaywas that it was lost 7-4 meaning that two more Councillors would need to vote in favour in the future for the poll to occur. The State Government elections will be held on March 25 2023. If federal results are anything to go by, there may be a change of a hung parliament or a Labor government.
This would remove former Hilltops Councillor, Hilltops Administrator, current Member of Goulburn and Minister of Local Government Wendy Tuckerman from the process entirely. Labor is offering binding plebiscites for communities wishing to demerge. Next week’s edition will document Councillor’s positions stated on the night.
