Independent Councillor, John Stamolis, has questioned the first draft of a business case to de-merge Sydney’s Inner West Council into its three previous councils – Marrickville, Leichhardt and Ashfield.
According to The Daily Telegraph, the draft was recently unveiled by consultancy firm Morrison Low and projects the de-amalgamation could result in losses of up to $230 million over 20 years.
Councillor Stamolis questioned the methodology and costs of the report, branding them “surreal” and “a fantasy.”
The Balmain Ward councillor, who previously worked for the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), said: “The problem we now face is that this unsubstantiated report could seriously damage and undermine what our community wants for the future.”
“There’s been no expert review of the report – it’s just gone out to public exhibition,” he added.
The long-running de-merger debate has simmered ever since the three councils merged in 2016, with opposition from both the public and various councillors advocating for a de-amalgamation.
An Inner West Council spokesman told the Inner West Courier that the report prepared by Morrison Low was developed in line with NSW Government guidelines.
SOURCE: The Daily Telegraph
