The United Services Union Organiser Chris Preston has been working with New England Weeds County Council Staff and the four Councils Armidale Regional Council, Glen Innes Severn, Uralla Shire and Walcha Shire Council, over the last 4 months. Upon the dissolution of the County Council each of the constituent Councils will automatically become the control authority for its own government area.

The United Services Union has advised:

“The United Services Union after much consultation, with the four Constituent Council General Managers and the Staff at New England County Council, support the proposal to move into a new service delivery model being developed at the following Councils Armidale Regional Council, Glen Innes Severn, Uralla Shire Council and Walcha Council.”

The NSW Minister for Local Government Hon. Ron Hoenig has now signed off on the dissolution of the New England Weeds County Council, this happened on Thursday 20th February 2025 and will be out for public comment for 28 days, after this process the Governor General can sign off on the Proposal.

Employees of the County Council

The Local Government Act specifies arrangements for Council staff affected by the constitution, amalgamation or alteration of Council areas. Following negotiations with staff and the United Services Union, arrangements for staff of the NECC to be transferred to the constituent Councils have been agreed. As required by Section 354 of the Local Government Act, employees will be transferred with: · employment conditions being on the same terms and conditions that applied to the staff member immediately before the transfer day, · accrued rights of staff member such as leave, and superannuation are not affected by the transfer, · no forced redundancy of a transferred staff member for three years and · no forced relocation for staff. Transferred staff will take with them vehicles and equipment necessary for them to undertake their functions. The affected staff have now been assigned to a Council area. We area now in talks with those Transferred staff and the Council they will be taking up a position with.