Labor’s Darcy Byrne has said he would listen to the majority of residents on the demerger.Credit:Kate Geraghty
Labor,which holds an eight-person majority on the new council,committed to abiding by the result of the poll.
But Independent councillor John Stamolis told a meeting last week the council’s response to the vote had been “lacklustre” and residents were growing frustrated by a lack of progress,information and transparency.
The poll result underscored debate about the NSW government’s controversial policy of forced amalgamations,which triggered widespread discontent among some councils and communities after it was introduced in 2016.
Stamolis told the meeting council staff had completed a survey where 70 per cent of workers said they did not want the organisation to de-amalgamate. He said the council had to listen to the majority vote of ratepayers.
Some residents are frustrated at what they see as a lack of action by council to prepare for de-amalgamation.
“It’s time to let the political differences go. We know there are divisions,certainly in a council body that’s natural.
“We now need to show good faith to our residents,we need to show them that we’re doing something. It’s not just about process ... we need to do a bit more than that.”