Tumbarumba face and merger critic Ian Chaffey gears up for bid to be mayor of Snowy Valleys Council

The last mayor of Tumbarumba, before it merged with Tumut Shire in 2016, was elected to Snowy Valleys Council for the first time in this month's local government election.

"I think there's a need for a different direction and different leadership and I will be putting my hand up," Cr Chaffey said when asked about a mayoral tilt.

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"There's opportunities that are not being taken advantage of and I think we've got to grow our community.

"There's no such thing as standing still, you're either going ahead or going backwards."

Cr Chaffey believes benefits promised as a result of the merger have not materialised, pointing to the financial status of Snowy Valleys that sees it have a $23.1 million deficit.

He predicts, based on harmonisation rules, some property owners could face 63 per cent rate rises if a 38.1 per cent special rate variation is approved.

"In the two years and nine months that this council has to run we should be in a good position to see if a demerger is a prospect we should be pursuing or not," Cr Chaffey said.

A long push to split Snowy Valleys and return Tumbarumba to having its own council reached a critical point in July when then Local Government Minister Shelley Hancock refused to allow a demerger.

That was despite the NSW Boundaries Commission recommending a conditional break-up.

Cr Chaffey now believes only a change of state government or dramatic philosophical switch from the incumbent Coalition will alter the council status quo.

He stressed if he was elected as mayor he would be governing for all the shire, saying "it's about delivering the outcomes that the community wants".

Former Tumut Shire councillor James Hayes has been mayor of Snowy Valleys since its first election in 2017.

The Adelong resident was re-elected in this month's council ballot.

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