Residents’ say on reform to end

We’ll find out when the submission period for public comment on the proposals closes at the Local Government Advisory Board (LGAB) at 4pm on March 13.

The playing field has become even muddier with Local Government Minister Tony Simpson saying that proposed reform in Victoria Park-South Perth and Belmont-Kalamunda is boundary changes only ” not a merger, which is when councils join without changing their boundaries ” meaning the councils do not have the right to request a poll under the Dadour provisions about their future. It also means one council in each of the two proposed scenarios will be abolished and taken over by the other.

The minister said choosing the council to be abolished in a boundary change would depend on the location of its commercial and recreation areas and ‘how best to ensure the ongoing provision of good government to the community’.

LGAB chair Mel Congerton said the board’s formal inquiries would take into account all the information it received.

‘We’ll look at elements including community interests, economic factors, history of an area, transport and communication, matters affecting viability of local governments and delivery of services,’ he said.