The NSW Local Government Boundaries Commission is expected to announce in January the timing and venues of its public inquiries into a proposal to de-amalgamate the Cootamundra-Gundagai Council.
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In a statement released this week Boundaries Commission chair Mr Bob Sendt said they expected to announce in early January the timing and venues of its public inquiries and the opening and closing dates for public submissions.
On July 6, the Minister for Local Government, Shelley Hancock, received a proposal submitted by Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council to de-amalgamate under section 218CC of the Local Government Act 1993.
On August 3, 2021, the Minister referred the proposal to the Local Government Boundaries Commission.
The proposal is available on the Boundaries Commission website.
The Council has since advised the Boundaries Commission that it was unable to complete its 2020-21 financial accounts by the due date of October 31 and that it has sought and received an extension to December 17, 2021.
The Boundaries Commission has determined that it would not be appropriate to base its examination of the proposal on the previous year's financial position and is therefore awaiting completion and audit of the 2020-21 accounts.
The Commission has re-appointed Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu to provide advice on the financial aspects of the de-amalgamation proposal.
"The financial aspects are only one of the nine factors the Local Government Act requires the Commission to consider in its independent examination of the proposal", Mr Sendt said.
"However a proper analysis of the financial advantages or disadvantages of any proposed change to a council boundary is key to understanding councils' ability to provide services to local residents and ratepayers while remaining financially viable," he said.