Mr Morgan said he left last week’s meeting because telling Mr Simpson not to alter the Dadour poll provisions would have been ‘hindered’ by WA Local Government Association president Troy Pickard. He said Mr Pickard had ‘consistently undermined keeping those provisions sacrosanct.’
Mr Morgan will now meet Mr Simpson separately to pitch a regional council, despite Cottesloe agreeing to investigate joining its neighbours, known as the G4.
Mr Pickard was an observer at the meeting attended by Claremont, Mosman Park, Peppermint Grove and Subiaco mayors and presidents at WALGA’s West Perth headquarters.
They were told there would be October council elections because there was no time to change laws for a new date, and Mr Simpson would have to take the estimated costs and funding proposals for mergers to cabinet.
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Mr Simpson said it was ‘more democratic’ to change the poll provisions so all votes from a group of residents were consolidated to stop a ‘no’ vote from one council’s ratepayers quashing a proposal.
‘The issue is now that our residents’ vote will be swamped by the other three (G4) local governments,’ Peppermint Grove president Rachel Thomas said. Claremont Mayor Jock Barker said Mr Simpson gave no assurance council assets would be sold to fund mergers. Nedlands Mayor Max Hipkins will meet Mr Simpson separately this month.