City of Canning Commissioner Linton Reynolds and CEO Lyn Russell.
Camera IconCity of Canning Commissioner Linton Reynolds and CEO Lyn Russell. Credit: Supplied/Marcelo Palacios

Deals to sort first before merger plan

Emma Young, Comment NewsComment News

Under the State Government’s model, Canning will merge with Gosnells but first lose sections to Victoria Park, Belmont and Melville councils.

It is presently dealing with Gosnells, Victoria Park and South Perth to form the plan for its preferred boundaries that will both satisfy the Government and get the best deal for residents of the future Canning/Gosnells council.

Commissioner Linton Reynolds said the City was having weekly discussions with Gosnells to establish an implementation committee and what he hoped would be ‘a shared, agreed position on our eventual boundaries’.

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‘A strong spirit of co-operation is evident,’ he said.

Meetings were also progressing with South Perth and Victoria Park, which were set to receive land north of Leach Highway.

Mr Reynolds said no discussions had yet been held with Belmont and Kalamunda as Canning was ‘totally opposed’ to the proposed transfer of the Welshpool industrial estate to them.

‘Obviously where we differ from the Government’s map, we need to provide a very cogent argument,’ he said.

Discussions with Melville had not yet begun as Riverton MLA Mike Nahan had indicated he wanted a different boundary from that proposed.

‘In the absence of an agreed boundary with Melville, and based on our understanding that both the MLA for Riverton and the City of Melville are seeking to absorb even more of our district into the ‘greater City of Fremantle’, we are considering all options, including a desire to have our western boundary remain as it is currently,’ Mr Reynolds said.

He expected staff would present a position at a public information evening on October 1, to be ratified at a special council meeting on October 2 and delivered to the Government by the October 4 deadline.