ADELAIDE Plains Council (APC) has distanced itself from the boundary expansion plans of Gawler and Barossa Councils, while Light Regional Council (LRC) mayor Bill O’Brien has declared his council would be “unsustainable” if the reforms were successful.
At its September meeting, LRC unanimously endorsed a motion without notice from Mr O’Brien denouncing boundary reform “threats” from neighbouring councils, which could see it lose Hewett, Gawler Belt and possibly Roseworthy to Gawler Council, and Greenock, Seppeltsfield and Gomersal to Barossa Council.
The motion stated LRC would be “unsustainable” if the reforms were backed by the State Government’s Boundaries Commission, which has final say on the matter.
Speaking to The Bunyip, Mr O’Brien said the council would need to be taken over by neighbouring councils, such as APC, if the proposed changes went ahead.
“If you look at the map, you’ve got very few options; we have the option of APC, and north we have Goyder (Council) and possibly Clare and Gilbert Valley (Council),” he said.
“They’re our neighbouring councils who we could possibly be absorbed by, it’s highly unlikely of course, but that’s just a fact.
“We’d become unsustainable, I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.
“Our rate base would get to the point where we could not exist.”
In response to Mr O’Brien’s comments, APC mayor Mark Wasley said his council would stay out of negotiations between LRC, Gawler Council and Barossa Council.
“We’re intending to let the other councils follow their course of action they want to take, there is no impact on our area,” he said.
“My own view is APC shouldn’t, and doesn’t need to, get involved in those discussions because it’s purely affecting their area.”
Mr Wasley added he hadn’t heard from Mr O’Brien regarding the potential for APC to take some, or all, of LRC’s territory if it was to collapse.
“If there are changes on the horizon, council would certainly keep itself informed,” he said.
“We have very good relationships with our neighbouring councils and I’m sure we’ll be kept informed all the way.
“It’s too early to speculate, I think there’s only been one meeting and there’s certainly a lot more to be explored through this whole process.”