Cootamundra-Gundagai demerger ignites hope for other NSW councils
The Cootamundra and Gundagai councils were forced to merge in 2016 when the state government created 19 new councils from the amalgamation of 44 existing councils.
A decade-long campaign to demerge ensued and on Thursday locals got their wish.
"It was a great day for local democracy," Demerge NSW Alliance coordinator and Save Bombala president Grantley Ingram said.
"The minister has listened to the community of Gundagai and Cootamundra and he's acted on their wishes."
The 2016 decision to amalgamate councils was made by the former Coalition government to improve efficiency and reduce administrative costs.
But Mr Ingram said that was "nonsense", and "roads, rates and rubbish" were common issues faced by merged councils, as well as the loss of council-run aged care facilities and staff turnover.
He said people had wanted out in his town of Bombala, which was forced to merge into the Snowy Monaro Regional Council.
"It's just not working," he said.
Snowy Valleys Council was also among the 19 newly created councils, combining the Tumut Shire and Tumbarumba Shire councils.
Councillor and former Tumut mayor Trina Thomson said both communities had different wants and needs.
"It's like trying to run two separate councils under one umbrella," she said.
"We believe that going forward, a demerger would enable us to have that independent, unique identity."
The sentiment is not shared in the NSW western plains, where Dubbo Regional councillor Matthew Dickerson believes most people have accepted the merger between Dubbo and Wellington shires.
"The eggs have been broken, the omelettes have been made," he said.
"I think that moment has gone and I don't think there is any appetite for a de-amalgamation.
"We're moving on in the world."
During Thursday's announcement, Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig said there was now a legislative pathway for other merged councils to consider splitting.
"We will not forcibly merge or demerge councils," he said.
"These are decisions for communities, they are not decisions for governments.
"[Governments] need to get their nose out of local government and their nose out of local communities that are more than capable of managing their own affairs.
"The responsibility on effecting the demerger is in the hands of the democratically elected councillors."
Mr Ingram agreed that councils were best to lead the process of demerging, and community consultation was paramount.
"While I think it's a disaster, there may be others that quite like our regional council," he said.
"We need to assess the wishes of the community."
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