Local Government Boundaries Commission
The Local Government Boundaries Commission is an independent statutory authority constituted under section 260 of the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act).
The Boundaries Commission has several functions under the Act. In summary its main functions are:
- to examine and report on any matter referred to it by the Minister in relation to the boundaries of local government areas and the areas of operation of county councils; and
- where a matter (as described in (i) above) has been referred to the Chief Executive of the Office of Local Government for examination and report, to review that Report and provide comments to the Minister.
Commissioners
The Local Government Boundaries Commission is an independent statutory authority constituted under section 260 of the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act). The Commission’s four members are appointed by the Governor for a five-year term. They are:
- Peter Duncan AM (Chairperson)
- Councillor Ruth Fagan
- Councillor Rick Firman OAM
- Erica van den Honert
Of the four Commissioners, one (the Chairperson) is nominated by the Minister for Local Government; one is an officer of the Office of Local Government nominated by the Chief Executive; and two are persons appointed from the panel constituted under section 262(1) of the Local Government Act 1993 (the members of this panel are nominated by Local Government NSW).
Proposals
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Current Proposals
Cootamundra Gundagai
The Minister for Local Government also appointed Commissioners to hold a Public Inquiry under section 438U of the Local Government Act 1993 into Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council. Information on the Inquiry can be found here.
Snowy Valleys Council – Business case for de-amalgamatio
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Previous Proposals
2022 Proposals
Inner West Council
- Minister’s letter referring the Proposal to the Boundaries Commission
- Inner West Business case for De-amalgamation
- Notice of Public Inquiry and call for written submissions – 6 November 2023 – PDF
- LGBC summary of key findings from Deloitte’s Analysis of the Financial Implications – PDF
- Final Report by the Local Government Boundaries Commission to the Minister for Local Government – PDF
2021 Proposals
Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council
- LGBC Summary of key findings from Deloitte’s Analysis of the Financial Implications – PDF
- Notice of Public Inquiry – PDF
- Cootamundra- Gundagai – De-amalgamation Proposal for Referral to Boundaries Commission
- Part 1 of 2 – PDF
- Part 2 of 2 – PDF
- Minister’s letter referring the Proposal to the Boundaries Commission – PDF
- Final Report by the Local Government Boundaries Commission to the Minister for Local Government – PDF
- Dissenting report to the Minister for Local Government, Commissioner Gleeson – PDF
2020 Proposals
On 25 February 2020 the Minister for Local Government referred to the Commission two elector initiated proposals that would affect boundaries in relation to Snowy Valleys Council and Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Councils. Documents relating to these two proposals are available below:
Cootamundra/Gundagai
- Elector proposal to create a new local government area affecting Cootamundra – Gundagai Regional Councill – PDF
- Minister’s letter referring the proposal to the Boundaries Commission – PDF
- LGBC summary of Deloitte Key Findings – November 2020 – PDF
- Report of the Local Government Boundaries Commission into the proposal– 22 February 2021 – PDF
- Dissenting Report into the proposal – 22 February 2021 – PDF
Snowy Valleys- Elector proposal to create a new local government area affecting Snowy Valleys Council – PDF
- Minister’s letter referring the proposal to the Boundaries Commission – PDF
- LGBC Summary of Deloitte Key Findings – October 2020 – PDF
- Report of the Local Government Boundaries Commission into the proposal – 16 February 2021 – PDF
- Dissenting Report into the proposal – 16 February 2021 – PDF
2016 Proposals
For the 2016 merger proposals, the then Minister for Local Government elected to refer the proposals to the Chief Executive of the Office of Local Government (rather than the Boundaries Commission) for examination.
The Chief Executive then delegated the function of examining and reporting on each of those proposals to a number of people, known as ‘Delegates’. Delegates were required to examine and report upon each merger proposal rigorously and fairly. The examination process included Delegates calling for submissions, holding a public inquiry on each proposed council merger, assessing the proposals against the factors in section 263(3) of the Act, and providing a Report to the Minister. Delegates were also required to provide their Report to the Boundaries Commission.
The Boundaries Commission then reviewed each Delegate’s Report and sent its Comments to the Minister.
Once the Minister received the Report from the Delegate and the Comments from the Boundaries Commission, the Minister decided whether or not to recommend the implementation of the proposal to the Governor of NSW. The Comments from the Boundaries Commission in relation to those 2016 reports are available below.
- Armidale Dumaresq Guyra
- Armidale, Guyra, Uralla and Walcha
- Ashfield, Leichardt, Marrickville
- Auburn (part), Holroyd (part) and Parramatta (part)
- Bankstown and Canterbury
- Bathurst and Oberon
- Berrigan and Jerilderie (part)
- Blayney, Cabonne and Orange
- Bombala, Cooma-Monaro and Snowy River
- Boorowa, Harden and Young
- Boorowa and Young
- Botany Bay and Rockdale
- Burwood, Canada Bay and Strathfield
- Conargo and Deniliquin
- Cootamundra and Gundagai
- Cootamundra, Harden and Gundagai
- Corowa and Urana
- Corowa, Lockhart and Urana
- Dubbo and Wellington
- Dungog and Gloucester
- Dungog and Maitland
- Gloucester, Greatlakes and Greater Taree
- Gosford and Wyong
- Goulburn, Mulwaree and Palerang (part)
- Hawkesbury and The Hills (part)
- Hornsby (part) and Ku-ring-gai
- Hunters Hill, Lane Cove and Ryde
- Hurstville and Kogarah
- Jerilderie (Part) and Murrumbidgee
- Jerilderie and Murrumbidgee
- Kiama and Shoalhaven
- Manly, Mosman and Warringah (Part)
- Manly, Pittwater and Warringah
- Mosman, North Sydney and Willoughby
- Murray and Wakool
- Newcastle and Port Stephens
- North Sydney and Willoughby
- Palerang (Part) and Queanbeyan
- Palerang and Queanbeyan
- Parramatta Five
- Pittwater and Warringah (part)
- Randwick, Waverly and Woollahra
- Shellharbour and Wollongong
- Tamworth and Walcha
- Tumbarumba and Tumut
Information about the Local Government Boundaries Commission
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Frequently asked questions
The Boundaries Commission FAQs are downloadable here.
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Media releases
- 27 July 2022 – Boundaries Commission completes its examination of Cootamundra-Gundagai Demerger proposal
- 21 April 2022 – Boundaries Commission extends registration date for public hearings
- 25 March 2022 – CGRC key findings from the Deloitte Financial Analysis
- 23 March 2022 – Call for submissions and public hearing dates for CGRC public inquiry
- 16 November 2021 – Proposal to De-amalgamate Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Area
- 23 February 2021 – LGBC completes examination of demerger proposals
- 13 November 2020 – Cootamundra Gundagai Key Findings from the Deloitte Financial Analysis
- 22 October 2020 – Snowy Valleys Key Findings from the Deloitte Financial Analysis
- 30 September 2020 – Boundaries Commission announces Public Inquiry dates for CGRC
- 24 September 2020 – Boundaries commission announces Public Inquiry dates for SVC
- 16 July 2020 – Boundaries Commission update on demerger proposals
- 1 April 2020 – Demerger Public Hearings Deferred
- 24 March 2020 – Boundaries Commission Calls for Public Submissions
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Contacts us
Executive Officer: Alice Beasley
Fax: (02) 4428 4100
Email: EO@lgbc.nsw.gov.au
Address: Locked bag 3015, Nowra, NSW 2541