Wednesday 17th/ Dec/ 2003, is a time when  Tony Kelly, the Minister for Local Government announced restructure changers  for the local government. 
                The cry from those affected was loud and condemning the minister for not listening. They feel that Kelly simply shot all the councils and the people.    
I agree with the ministers stance,  small councils are not viable. Well, they are simply not viable at all. How can a small  local government have the finance the buy the equipment that can reduce costs to the council? How can any small local government afford the expensive technology that can centralize all functions that can again reduce costs?
    There is no doubt that to reduce the present 16 council areas down to 5 will save millions of dollars as duplication functions are removed. A simple example,  if 11 General Managers can be  removed, in that one movement of restructuring, millions will be saved. You can imagine the millions and millions that can be saved in the complete restructuring, by removing about 10 council areas. 
    Restructuring happens every day. Business restructures continuously to reduce costs. The reason they do it because they will not be in business (not viable) in the future because of competition forces. The councils are not in any different arena. They cry out because they are affected by the restructuring. In the same way that the thousands of workers who lost their job because of restructuring. Or, do the affected councilors, want their jobs saved, and those who work for you. It is happening in business, why not with you. With the technology advances to reduce costs, it is criminal to keep costs high when they can be reduced. The saved money can be used to run an efficient council network and certainly reduce costs for the NSW Government in grants towards the local government.

Those of us who have been under the rates pegging to stop our rates going up higher can thank the NSW Government for their stance. After all the councils have said that it is the NSW Government that has made them unviable because of the rates pegging. Imagine how high our rates would be if the different councils were allowed to increase the rates, according to their costs.

I believe that with a larger base that will come through this restructuring, councils will be  in a better position to serve us. Local voices will not be removed because the plan is that the council members will chair meetings that will be held in the different population centers. For example, a group of people in Deepwater would have  regular meetings, such as the Progress Association. People could come and move forward ideas to improve the town. The councilor would then report through the Council.

Well, that is what I believe. 
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