Myth: Amalgamation saves money. With fewer councillors and mayors our rates will go down, or at least not go up as much or as quickly.
Reality:This has been thoroughly disproven. The amalgamations done in other states and overseas have been well studied. Unequivocally, the conclusion is, “far from delivering services more cheaply, bigger local government typically provides more expensive services.”
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Myth: Bigger councils benefit from ‘economies of scale’. They can purchase larger-volume goods and services at steep discounts.
Reality: Local shires can and do cooperate across boundaries through the LGMA to benefit from “economies of scale”, where those are possible. Most functions of local government, however, do not benefit from economies of scale. That’s why those functions reside in local government.
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Myth: It’s not the super-council’s new councillors who determine development, it's the town plan. The Douglas Shire has a great town plan.
Reality: The Douglas Shire had a town plan. The Douglas Shire’s town plan ceases to exist when The Douglas Shire ceases to exist. It gets replaced by whatever planning scheme the “super council” comes up with.
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Myth: Bigger councils are stronger councils.
Reality: Bigger is often neither better nor stronger. The Coles–Meyer merger nearly brought down both organisations. The only solution was to split again. This is a very common mistake that brings only great expense and pain.
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