In token community consultation sessions, all but a handful of residents opposed the amalgamation of their local councils but the state government went ahead and disbanded their elected councils and forcibly merged them under an appointed administrator.
The result is a far less representative mega council, a decline in community services and a drive to outsource or privatise services and council buildings. Council workers have been made redundant and recently workers in the privately-managed council swimming pools have been stood down amid the latest COVID-19 lockdown.
On top of this, residents are facing higher rates through a “rates harmonisation” imposed by the NSW government.