Canning gutted by merger plan

Mr Reynolds said the council would lose all of Willetton and 98 per cent of Riverton to Melville council under the new plan announced by Local Government Minister Tony Simpson last week.

‘Inevitably, it is different from the previous flawed map but unfortunately for the City of Canning, the revision is a far worse outcome,’ Mr Reynolds said.

‘Melville is also gifted the land that not only hosts the South Metro Recycling Centre facility, but also our (Ranford Road) waste transfer station and land that we currently receive a large amount of income from.

‘Our proposal was to keep all of Willetton, which includes a significant number of care facilities for the aged and disabled. The State Government boundaries will have a significant impact on the delivery of these services.

‘This proposal will create so much uncertainty and angst within the community.’

Mr Reynolds said the State Government proposal disregarded the City of Canning’s submission all together.

‘The City of Canning’s submission was ignored and in fact we lost even more services than the State Government’s original proposal in July indicated,’ he said.

‘Under the latest proposal, the City of Canning will also lose the Riverton Leisureplex, Riverton Library, Care Services which delivers meals on wheels, aged-care packages, seniors accommodation, approximately $6 million of funding for Home and Community Care Services, Canning Lodge for the elderly and a number of other services which are very important to the community.’

Client and customer services executive Tania Trengove said staff were devastated.

‘Our staff have worked hard over a long period of time to cater for the community needs in all of these facilities,’ she said.

‘To lose these services and facilities now has left a lot of staff shattered. Staff have no idea what this will mean for their jobs or whether the services they deliver will continue to be offered.’

Mr Reynolds said the City of Canning proposal to the Local Government Advisory Board made a strong case to keep Welshpool.

‘Our economic modelling showed that Belmont and Kalamunda without Welshpool could raise more rates than Canning/Gosnells with Welshpool,’ he said. ‘Failing to keep Welshpool throws up some big questions about the services we will be able to provide in the new local government authority.

‘We will continue to advocate for a fairer set of boundaries and the community will also need to step up their pressure on local members of parliament and be prepared to make submissions to the advisory board when it calls for comment around the end of the year.’