6.2 Proposed Local Government Boundary Change - Noranda

Ordinary Meeting of Council 27 July 2011

6.2 PROPOSED LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY CHANGE - NORANDA

(Ballajura Ward) (Chief Executive Office)

KEY ISSUES

• Council at its meeting held on 23 September 2009 resolved (in part) to advise the Minister for Local Government that the City of Swan would prefer to maintain its existing boundary with only minor realignments along Reid Highway, Noranda, in relation to its Local Government Reform submission.

• In recent months the City of Swan raised the matter with the City of Bayswater and as a result we have now received a submission from the City of Bayswater, a copy of which is attached.

• In view of the recent announcement by the Minister for Local Government that local government boundaries in the Perth Metropolitan area are to be reviewed, it is recommended that the Council not proceed with a boundary realignment of Reid Highway, Noranda, until the review by the Minister is completed.

• In the past when Council has considered this land swap with the City of Bayswater, it was on the basis within the City of Bayswater and the suburb of Morley would be transferred to the City of Swan in exchange for the land in Noranda. This matter was not part of the resolution of Council at its meeting held on 23 September 2011.

It is recommended that the Council resolve to not support the proposal from the City of Bayswater to realign the City's boundary of Reid Highway, Noranda, and await the outcome of the local government boundary review which is currently being undertaken by the Minister for Local Government.

BACKGROUND

Council at its meeting held on 23 September 2009 resolved (in part) to advise the Minister for Local Government that the City of Swan would prefer to maintain its existing boundary with only minor realignments along Reid Highway, Noranda in relation to its Local Government Reform submission.

In recent months the City of Swan raised the matter with the City of Bayswater and as a result we have now received a submission from the City of Bayswater, a copy of which is attached which includes a map of the area.

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REPORT

The report from the City of Bayswater was received on 28 April 2011 and a copy of that proposal is attached. The report concludes that the alteration of the boundary is so that the area of the land north of Widgee Drive, which is currently within the City of Swan, be realigned so that all the land south of Reid Highway and west of Tonkin Highway to Alexander Drive which is currently within the City of Swan be realigned so that all of the land south of Reid Highway and west of Tonkin Highway is included within the City of Bayswater.

The City of Bayswater has concluded that this is only of a minor nature and therefore does not require full advertising or that public submissions be made. Having considered the report, it is debatable whether the proposal to be only “minor” in nature. In any case in accordance with Schedule 2.1, Section 3(3) of the Local Government Act, it is up to the Local Government Advisory Board to make that determination.

The report from the City of Bayswater makes little or no reference to the cost implications of this proposal. In fact, it is only the City of Bayswater's Council report of 17 April 2011 which indicates that there is a financial implication of approximately $500,000 for the 2010/11 financial year. The financial implications for the City of Swan are $588,000 for 2010/11 financial year and for the 2011/12 financial year the financial implications are estimated to be $598,000.

Due to the amount of rate income that will be lost to the City of Swan and gained by the City of Bayswater, the Local Government Advisory Board may conclude that this is a major amendment and therefore requires advertising and public submissions to be sought. This is not a decision that this Council can make.

In recent weeks the Minister for Local Government, the Hon John Castrilli has announced that a panel of three people has been established to review local government boundaries in the Perth metropolitan area. On this basis, as there is no indication of what changes will be made to the boundaries, it may be prudent for the Council to not proceed with the boundary change at this time but that the matter be considered as part of Council's overall response in the review of the local government boundaries as proposed by the Minister.

Also in the past when Council has considered this land swap with the City of Bayswater, it was on the basis that land bounded generally by Blackboy Way, Wandoo Road, Darwin Crescent, the extension of Salisbury Road through to Benara Road, Benara Road and Tonkin Highway all within the City of Bayswater and the suburb of Morley would be transferred to the City of Swan in exchange for the land in Noranda. This matter was not part of the resolution of Council at its meeting held on 23 September 2011.

ATTACHMENTS

Submission from City of Bayswater

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STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS

Nil

STATUTORY ENVIRONMENT

Nil

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

If the area is transferred to the City of Bayswater the Council rate income will reduce by $598,000 as detailed in the report.

RECOMMENDATION

That the Council resolve to:

1) Not support the proposal from the City of Bayswater to realign the City's boundary of Reid Highway, Noranda, and await the outcome of the local government boundary review which is currently being undertaken by the Minister for Local Government.

2) Advise the City of Bayswater accordingly.

MOTION that the Council resolve to:

1) Defer consideration of this item to allow Ballajura and Altone Ward Councillors and City staff to review the boundaries between these two wards and Bayswater and evaluate the benefits that may be gained or lost by amending the proposed and other boundary considerations with Bayswater.

(Cr Congerton - Cr Färdig)

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY TO:

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