BY JEM ANSHAW
Feedback responses received for the de-amalgamation of Merriwa from the Upper Hunter Shire Council have been sent to the Minister for Local Government following the September council meeting.
Of the 141 residents who took part in the survey, 92 were in support of the move which Merriwa Chamber treasure Robert Smith believes is a significant number.
“One factor that may have hindered some people from taking part is that you had to give your full name, with council being a major employer in the town people will have had a fear of being blacklisted, of hindering their future employment opportunities,” he explained.
There has been talk around town since 2004 when Merriwa and Murrurundi joined with Scone Council that it was not the right move, but Robert explained this recent push has come from a misinterpretation of a question posed by NSW Farmers Association.
A state-wide question was asked about how resources were shared when small communities join in with larger councils and citing that the suggestion was made that protections should be put in place.
In what Robert described as ‘the norm’ for the relationship between Merriwa and the Upper Hunter Shire, the comments were picked up and taken to the extreme before anyone looked at the facts.
“I feel like this is really symbolic of the relationship between Merriwa and the Upper Hunter Shire Council, a knee-jerk reaction to misinformation and now there is no turning back,” he said.
“There has been a lot of confusion about it, people have always talked about de-amalgamation but people are saying why now, what is the motivation, it just doesn’t make sense.”
The process for residents to have their say was just as baffling, with no information session or opportunities for discussion, and only online submissions being taken, which Robert said was disappointing for a town with a high population of aging residents and those of a low socioeconomic status.
BREAKOUT
Councillor Adam Williamson made comment during the Upper Hunter Shire Council meeting on the topic of Merriwa de-amalgamation, stating it was a divisive proposal but made an encouraging suggestion.
“I would suggest that we ask the minister to consider the discontent that we see in our western region, and perhaps advise of measures that could be enacted by the Upper Hunter Council to improve confidence through community alignment,” he said.
“I think we’ve seen a lot of discontent between the Merrwa community and especially the Scone community, we are the Upper Hunter community and I believe that we can work together to achieve better goals.”
This notion is reflected by many in Merriwa, including chamber treasurer Robert Smith who has a suggestion for how relations could be improved.
“A lot of it is around the senior managers, we have good people on the ground, but they can’t make decisions. What we need is someone, paid, in Merriwa five days a week, on the ground building relationships and getting to know the community,” he concluded.
Merriwa Submissions Made for De-amalagamation
BY JEM ANSHAW
Feedback responses received for the de-amalgamation of Merriwa from the Upper Hunter Shire Council have been sent to the Minister for Local Government following the September council meeting.
Of the 141 residents who took part in the survey, 92 were in support of the move which Merriwa Chamber treasure Robert Smith believes is a significant number.
“One factor that may have hindered some people from taking part is that you had to give your full name, with council being a major employer in the town people will have had a fear of being blacklisted, of hindering their future employment opportunities,” he explained.
There has been talk around town since 2004 when Merriwa and Murrurundi joined with Scone Council that it was not the right move, but Robert explained this recent push has come from a misinterpretation of a question posed by NSW Farmers Association.
A state-wide question was asked about how resources were shared when small communities join in with larger councils and citing that the suggestion was made that protections should be put in place.
In what Robert described as ‘the norm’ for the relationship between Merriwa and the Upper Hunter Shire, the comments were picked up and taken to the extreme before anyone looked at the facts.
“I feel like this is really symbolic of the relationship between Merriwa and the Upper Hunter Shire Council, a knee-jerk reaction to misinformation and now there is no turning back,” he said.
“There has been a lot of confusion about it, people have always talked about de-amalgamation but people are saying why now, what is the motivation, it just doesn’t make sense.”
The process for residents to have their say was just as baffling, with no information session or opportunities for discussion, and only online submissions being taken, which Robert said was disappointing for a town with a high population of aging residents and those of a low socioeconomic status.
Councillor Adam Williamson made comment during the Upper Hunter Shire Council meeting on the topic of Merriwa de-amalgamation, stating it was a divisive proposal but made an encouraging suggestion.
“I would suggest that we ask the minister to consider the discontent that we see in our western region, and perhaps advise of measures that could be enacted by the Upper Hunter Council to improve confidence through community alignment,” he said.
“I think we’ve seen a lot of discontent between the Merrwa community and especially the Scone community, we are the Upper Hunter community and I believe that we can work together to achieve better goals.”
This notion is reflected by many in Merriwa, including chamber treasurer Robert Smith who has a suggestion for how relations could be improved.
“A lot of it is around the senior managers, we have good people on the ground, but they can’t make decisions. What we need is someone, paid, in Merriwa five days a week, on the ground building relationships and getting to know the community,” he concluded.
