Tingha Citizen's Association president Colleen Graham said residents aren't thrilled about the community consultation on a boundary adjustment to Inverell

Armidale Regional Council announced it would go back to the drawing board on the town’s potential boundary adjustment to Inverell Shire Council on Friday.

“We’re not impressed at all, it’s bureaucracy gone crazy,” Ms Graham said.

“People are feeling let down by the system, nothing happens very fast with Tingha and that’s been the general consensus for a long time.”

Just shy of 900 people, the town requested to move to Inverell Shire Council in August 2016.

The Tingha Citizens Association ran a petition with residents, with 370 people voting for the adjustment.

Ms Graham said the petition circulated for more than six weeks.

“We exceeded the percentages we were supposed to get, in the correspondence from ARC to me, they want to consult with our Aboriginal community which I find insulting,” she said.

“They are our community, everyone is included here – we don’t need bureaucrats putting wedges where they aren’t needed.

“Twelve per cent of people who signed our petition were our Aboriginal residents, they were involved and consulted, that’s why I find it insulting, we don’t neglect anyone, we treat everyone the same here.”

Mayor Simon Murray announced the boundary adjustment would be up for discussion again on Friday.

A new council has been elected since former administrator Ian Tiley’s decision to grant the move, it’s also the reason the boundary adjustment couldn’t be approved in the first place.

No boundary adjustments can be made six months either side of a council election, the amalgamation of Guyra Shire Council and Armidale Dumaresq Council means Tingha was stuck in the mud.

Now, Cr Murray wants 50 per cent of the citizens in favour, Ms Graham said. 

“Inverell is the hometown for Tingha, it always has been – even when we belonged to Guyra there was no community of interest there,” she said.

“We found the majority of Inverell residents thought we belonged with them anyhow, we’re well known, we’re party of them and that’s why we can’t understand this.

“If the minister can’t decide, the boundaries commission will come, at least then we know it’s an independent decision.”

Ms Graham said she is writing to Minister for Local Government Gabrielle Upton demanding answers on the move.

Residents and ratepayers will receive the poll forms by mail at the start of June and will have until 18 June to submit their completed forms.

Council will hold an information stall outside the Tingha Town Hall on Friday 8 June from 2.30pm to 4.30pm for anyone with questions about the poll and the proposed boundary amendment.

For further information, visit council’s website or call 1300 136 833.