Kentish Council was dismissed in August 2002.

For those of us who were here it was a dark time.

To read about what happened click on this link. Read it slowly as it gives you an idea of what was in the minds of following Councils. Things that needed changing (and have been changed). Sobering reading.

I would like to know people’s thoughts on where we have come from and where we are now.

Here is a snippet:

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In May 2001, the Board issued its Interim Report into the findings of a general review of Kentish Council. The Board found that the council undervalued its infrastructure, was only funding about a third of its asset depreciation (p. 158) and that viability of the council was put at risk by poor asset management. Specifically, the report stated:

Asset management is crucial in the Boards review of this Council and the problems identified seem insurmountable. The Board found evidence of this in the poor record of asset rehabilitation, of deficiencies in the road and bridge maintenance program with resealing schedules falling behind requirements, of lowered standards of road resealing, and of water and sewerage maintenance at breakdown rather than preventative maintenance levels

The failure to provide for maintenance of assets arises not only from ignorance of the extent of the problem but also from avoidance of the revenue issue. For years Kentish has been collecting a rate well below that required for its responsibilities and below that of similar Councils. In 1999 the KPMG study, even on the limited data available, warned Council that large and sustained rate increases were required. This advice was resisted by Council and only small and inadequate rises have been forthcoming. Instead Council has used Financial Assistance Grants as a subsidy to ratepayers and has relied heavily on other government grants for infrastructure, some of this to create new assets when it could not adequately maintain those it already had (p. 7).

An additional $591 000 annually is required merely to maintain roads and bridges at the current level of service. This is equivalent to a rate increase of 51 per cent for the general municipal rate. This calculation does not take account of the backlog, which in reseals alone over the last four years, is in the order of $600 000 (p. 135).

It is the Boards view that Council does not have the capacity to address the shortcomings identified to be a viable authority (p. 149).

In August 2002, the Minister Assisting the Premier on Local Government, Mr Jim Cox, MHA, dismissed the Kentish Councillors.

A plebiscite held in February 2003 saw Kentish voters overwhelmingly (78%) vote to retain the council as a separate entity and a new Kentish Council was elected in June 2003.”