Dear Councillor,
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You will have received or have been forwarded an email from the Minister for Local Government with an expression of interest (EOI) form.
This action by the minister and the government is highly divisive and is pre-judging the outcome of the deeply flawed proposed mergers process.
It is the view of Save Our Councils Coalition (SOCC) that all councillors who believe in local democracy, proper process and the public interest should not respond to this toxic letter or fill in the form.
The letter states: "The NSW Government is considering options for providing serving councillors with an opportunity to help shape the future of any new council."
Options available may include being an administrator or continuing in office as a councillor until the election of a new council.
The government is seeking expressions of interest (EOI) from mayors and councillors.
A similar process is being conducted for general managers.
It is significant that the EOI Form requires councillors to meet every one of the six criteria, including "commitment to making the new council a success", "commitment to working collaboratively with government in implementation" and "commitment to promote the new council to the community".
The minister will decide who he wants to appoint. He has not defined the process, role or authority applicants would have to follow.
SOCC is of the view that councillors who have voted against amalgamation and who have supported their community in its wish to stand alone and not be forcibly merged must treat this EOI as a toxic document not to be touched.
For such councillors to fill in the form and tick the criteria will be seen by the community as a betrayal by the councillors of their own principles and a betrayal of the will of the people.
Almost all communities across NSW have rejected these forced council amalgamations and many councillors and mayors have solidly stood with their communities and also rejected them.
If you reject the forced amalgamation of your council then we urge you not to fill in this form and instead call this government to account. If they want amalgamations then they must conduct referendums of all electors in each council area and only if the majority of constituents in all impacted council areas support amalgamations should these amalgamations proceed.
Kind regards,
Phil Jenkyn, Carolyn Corrigan and Brian Halstead on behalf of Save Our Councils Coalition