Going it alone is an odd call

LOCAL government restructure in Victoria has been a success, particularly for the City of Casey.
So why do we have a coterie based at Cranbourne calling for the southern area of the new municipality to be annexed?
Although, I bear in mind the trauma and upset the restructure process caused hundreds, if not thousands, of senior local government employees, a high cost in human terms.
Despite this personal disruption to people I have seen most council employees who were thrown into turmoil pick up the cudgel and go on to better things, something that evokes confidence in the quality of people who manage municipal affairs.
Most of us have had a down time somewhere along the way so then was their turn.
People continually blame the Kennett Government for local government restructure, but this was not a party political thing.
The previous Labor Government established the restructure process, led by the now Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal chairman Justice Stewart Morris.
Mr Kennett just made it happen.
Out of the ashes came the City of Casey and I am aware that a significant number of people are tired of hearing Casey councillors claim their council to be the best in Victoria, but generally it works well.
Casey was created from the former Cities of Berwick and Cranbourne and the main beneficiary in the terms of infrastructure and services has been the Cranbourne area and the coastal villages.
But Mayfield Ward councillor Steve Beardon has reactivated this annexation push, and I wonder why?
I can understand this annexation idea coming from people in the northern sector who sometimes say it should happen because they are seeing millions of dollars of their money spent on things such as the Casey Fields sporting complex.
Also, money is being set aside for a second stateoftheart aquatic centre in the municipality to be built at Cranbourne.
Had the City of Cranbourne been left as it was, these things would not even have been under consideration.
The area would be bankrupted in local government terms if it were to be annexed.
Casey Fields, besides being what could be described as a national standard sports centre, is already proving to be a sporting Mecca and will inject millions of dollars into the local economy.
Why do Cranbourne people want to go it alone when the wider municipality is providing so much for their area?
What of Narre Warren North, an area starved of sporting facilities?
Perhaps it is time to review the need for a Cranbourne aquatic centre and consider using that money for a sporting centre at Narre Warren North.