Mayor Peter Abelson said it was “extremely disappointing that the Government has disregarded the overwhelming views of Mosman residents and vowed to continue this drawn-out process.”
"The NSW Government apparently has absolutely no understanding of the high service levels provided in small local areas or of the deep feelings that households have for some control over their lives, services and environment that is lost in larger impersonal and more bureaucratic Government units,” he said.
“Mosman Council has remained unequivocal in its belief that amalgamation would impact very negatively on Mosman residents and ratepayers and this concern is borne out by numerous polls and surveys indicating more than 80% of our community don’t want to merge.
"Mosman Council has a proud 123-year history of being a strong and efficient council and, while this decision means ongoing uncertainty during the coming months, we will be continuing our fight for independence through the courts."
The Premier announced all merged Sydney councils would remain amalgamated and that planned metro mergers would go-ahead, subject to the results of legal challenges. She added there would be no further forced mergers in rural areas.
"The overwhelming feedback we have had from communities, both in Sydney and outside of Sydney, is, even though they were cynical about the process initially they all feel they want to continue the process of those merged entities."
Premier Berejiklian’s tough stance on metro mergers is expected to see a massive swing against the Government at the North Shore by-election in an area where plans to forcibly merge local councils is deeply unpopular across the community.
