Councillor Charlie Sheahan – previously a Country Labor Party candidate – moved for council to get behind any opportunity for a democratic say about the merged council’s future.

Cr Sheahan said there should a policy in place in case a change of state government after the 2019 elections.

He said a change of government could mean there was a chance that plebiscites may determine the future of any merged council.

“Unlike the government, we will abide by the the community’s wishes,” Cr Sheahan said.

“I’m not asking council to do anything other than enforce the community’s wishes.”

OUR SAY: Inoculating councils from state and federal politics impossible

The motion generated significant debate with a majority of councillors preferring to make the most of the merger, but Cr Sheahan’s motion received support of mayor Abb McAlister.

Cr McAlister said any opportunity to demerge should taken to the community.

“We still have to work with the cards that we have,” he said.

Councillor Doug Phillips warned about allowing state and federal politics to interfere, or for the council to be seen supporting a particular party.

“We’ve had a lot of money given to us by the state government,” Cr Phillips said.

Cr Phillips said some of the anger about the merger had eased.

“We’ve never had state or federal politics in local government and I’m just mindful that we don’t play politics,” he said.

However, Cr Sheahan said it was politics which lead to the merger.

“There’s so much effort and money which is going into re-creating what was already there,” he said.

Deputy mayor Dennis Palmer said there was no need a formal policy on demergers.

“We don’t need a motion, the community will guide us,” he said.

The motion was defeated by five votes to four.