THE West Tamar Council will today vote on undertaking a benchmarking exercise as the first step in investigating a shared services model with the Meander Valley and Northern Midlands councils.
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Mayor Christina Holmdahl met with the council's Northern neighbours earlier this month to discuss the concept with the organisations' respective mayors.
The meeting was an attempt to fend off amalgamations and stemmed from individual meetings between the councils and Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein in February.
"At the meeting, it was agreed that the process should first commence with a benchmarking exercise of financial and service delivery measures using an independent consultant with local government experience for each council," the West Tamar Council agenda, written by acting general manager Rolph Vos, said.
"The mayors all agreed to take an agenda item to their respective council's April meetings and seek council approval to enter into more formal discussions about identifying strategic shared service opportunities.
"All three mayors at the meeting indicated that it was unlikely that their councils would support voluntary amalgamations."
The agenda said that community consultation was integral in determining an outcome.
"It is critical that the three councils engage an independent consultant to carry out the benchmarking project to ensure openness and transparency," it said.
"With projects of this nature it is important to analyse the positives and negatives arising from the investigations."
The report noted that the council was investigating the cost of hiring an independent consultant to undertake the benchmarking exercise.
Mr Vos has recommended that the council agree to the benchmarking exercise and allow him to hire a consultant for the issue.
The council will meet at 1.30pm at the Beaconsfield Council Chambers.
