Two councils are considering a merger and Tom Elliott thinks a LOT of others should do the same

Two councils in Melbourne’s northeast are considering merging, and Tom Elliott thinks other councils should follow their lead.

The Banyule and Nillumbik councils are looking at amalgamation to solve the debt woes plaguing both councils.

If the amalgamation goes ahead it will be the first council merger since 1994.

“I reckon it’s a really good idea, but it shouldn’t stop at Nillimbuk and Banyule,” Tom Elliott said.

“Let’s have more mergers.

“Let’s get 79 councils down to no more than 20.

“We could probably just have half a dozen councils across Victoria: one covering Melbourne, two or three to the east, two or three to the west, and one in the north.”

Tom said millions of taxpayer dollars could be saved through council amalgamations.

“It’s ludicrous how much we spend on councils,” he said.

“The CEO of your average council earns something like $400,000 per annum.”

Press PLAY below for more.

Nillumbik Shire councillor Peter Clarke is a proponent of the merger.

He said he’d like to see a larger merger with multiple councils, but it’s not practical.

“Truth is it’ll be hard enough to get this off the ground, with vested interests and different views,” he said.

If both the Banyule and Nillumbik councils can agree on the terms of a merger, it will be put to a vote among residents in both council areas.

Press PLAY below to hear Nillumbik Shire councillor Peter Clarke on 3AW Drive.