LIGHT Regional Council has challenged state boundary reform legislation, calling for the introduction of ‘qualifying criteria’ or a competency test to be met by any council seeking neighbouring land.

Barossa and Gawler Councils have both submitted recent proposals to the newly-formed Boundaries Commission that seek Light Regional Council land.

In a letter to Local Government Minister Stephan Knoll, Light Regional chief executive Brian Carr and Mayor Bill O’Brien describe implementation of the current legislative framework as “fundamentally flawed” and ask it be reviewed as “a matter of urgency”.

“Regrettably, the implementation of the recent legislative reform arrangements pursuant to Part 2 of the Local Government Act without the necessary essential criteria and in the absence of a greater vision for local government… has generated responses not intended nor envisaged by the Parliament,” the letter states.

“These proposals are inherently disruptive for councils subjected to a neighbouring council's expansion aspirations and it is perfectly reasonable to expect that a proponent council should be able to demonstrate that it satisfies certain minimal criteria to earn the opportunity to then expand its area of responsibility.

“The proposed addition of 'qualifying 'criteria' would not only eliminate weak proposals, that cause conflict between councils for no ultimate benefit to anyone, but would create an 'inbuilt and hardwired' incentive for all councils, at all times, to maintain high performance under the qualifying criteria, since the consequences of under-performance could include a takeover… by a better performing neighbour council.”

The full letter was tabled as part of Light Regional Council’s February meeting minutes.