BY JESSICA ROUSE

Despite $15 million confirmed to be on the table, Dungog Council knocked back a rescission motion to voluntarily merge with Port Stephens overnight.

In front of a packed gallery, Dungog councillors voted 4-3 to stand alone instead of choosing to voluntarily merge with Port Stephens Council and essentially waved goodbye to significant money from the NSW Government.

Councillor Tracy Norman was the surprising vote last night who two weeks ago supported the push for a merger, but last night said she didn’t support the rescission motion that sought to overturn the council vote from a fortnight ago.

“What stone motherless broke council knocks back $15 million dollars for the benefit of their ratepayers? I don’t get it. There’s been more than enough community consultation. This whole process has been going on since October 2011,” said Upper Hunter MP Michael Johnsen.

After the council knocked back the motion, Michael Johnsen is gobsmacked and is now calling on his own government to step in and sack Dungog Council and appoint an administrator.

“Council has recognised publicly and privately for many many years it is unviable short, medium and long term yet it is incapable of doing anything about it. So if that was a business you would expect an administrator to be put in place,” said Michael Johnsen.

The Upper Hunter MP can’t believe an essentially broke council voted against the opportunity for funds which would fix an immense backlog of work including capital works and Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald is of the same mind but urges council not to be too hot headed.

“I would strongly urge council to listen to their community, look at what’s on the table from the NSW Government, think about their capital works, put aside the politics and think about what’s best,” said Scot MacDonald.

Michael Johnsen says not only is money an issue, staff are fed up and ratepayers are stuck with an incapable council.

“They are losing very good staff, the morale amongst the staff is just dreadful at the moment. The community have had enough, they just want the council to get on and make a decision and go with it and council just can’t seem to do that for whatever reason so if they’re not capable of doing it then perhaps we should step in and assist the community regardless of the council.”