Demerger submissions greenlit for Boundaries Commission

NSW MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Dear Ms Hancock,

Over the past 30 years I have spent several months each year in Tumbarumba and was concerned by the forced amalgamation of the thriving Tumbarumba Shire Council with the more populous Tumut Shire Council.
Prior to 2016 Tumbarumba Shire Council was a FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT and FINANCIALLY VIABLE COUNCIL lauded by the NSW LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION for its probity, energy and cohesiveness.

Today, post merger, and with the advent of ‘Harmonisation’, RATES and CHARGES have INCREASED and local supports, services and jobs have decreased or disappeared. Residents do not want more job cuts, reduced services or reduced access to plant and equipment. Residents do not want to see young people leaving the area as a result.

Ratepayers of the former Tumbarumba Shire Council have enjoyed council/community support of Aged Care, Child Care, Medical Centre and Swimming Pool services. Council/Community oversight and funding ensures that such services are run for the benefit of the community and NOT for the benefit of COMMERCIAL PROFIT DRIVEN ENTERPRISES and external providers with little or no connection to the community.

Tumbarumba Shire Council was, and still is, a geographically cohesive area with a thriving tourist industry and festivals showcasing its NATURAL BEAUTY, WALKING TRAILS, ORCHARDS, VINEYARDS, HYDRO, FORESTS, HORSEMANSHIP and now its BIKE TRAILS.

A re-established Tumbarumba Shire Council can once again be a viable, thriving enterprise and in the interests of the well-being of the community, there must be a DEMERGER.

Kind regards,

Margaret Willings.

there have been innumerable examples of Snowy Valleys council inability to deal fairly with the residents of the former Tumbarumba shire. I have experienced this bias personally on a number of occasions, especially since the bushfires when we really needed the council to come to our aid and there was a decided lack of cooperation on the part of SVC. Tumbarumba and surrounds are a strong and united community that does not need or want the divisive actions of SV Council

I, along with many other Tumbarumba residents feel a great anger at the forced merger with Tumut. We were a close community, even more so now that we have endured the bushfires.Tumut displays a complete lack of interest in the Tumba region,which is reflected in the attitude of many of thr council employees, especially outdoor staff.Council can spend 1.7 million dollars doing works in Tumuts main street, but refuses to remove roadside trees in Laurel Hill, which have fallen across boundary fences as a result of the bushfires.(Laurel Hill is in the old Tumba shire).Tumbarumba council, as it was, was a responsible council, financially as well as the attention that it paid to the general wellbeing of the residents of the shire. It was a happy friendly place, not so now. What original staff that are left in the Tumba office are disgruntled and disillusioned. My anger has increased not abated since 2016.Geographically we share no commonalities with Tumut, although Batlow has much more in common with us. Tumut is a low country town, we are a high country town.The acrimonious exit of Gus Cox from the Tumba office,particularly enraged and infuriated many, including myself. Gus was a highly regarded member of the local team and his sacking was painful and unprofessional.I have to question the motives of the people who removed Gus and the other staff who were sacked that day.

Please let this happen for the mid coast council. So many of us did not want it in the first place but had no say and now we have a council for different regions with different needs and worst of all who are not one little bit interested in the opinions of the communities. We have multi millions being spent on a combined council office in an unsuitable place for beginners. Just waiting to vote them out this year – the petitions the state government has received are proof of this. Help !!!