The Baird Government should bring forward elections for the Inner West Council to September 2016 rather than leaving their unelected Administrator to make decisions for 16 months.

Jo Haylen and Jodi McKay today joined Labor Opposition Leader Luke Foley in demanding local democracy be restored to the shambolic and flawed amalgamations process by bringing elections forward.

The elections would provide communities with the chance to select councilors and mayors to run the newly created councils and remove the administrators handpicked for the role by Premier Mike Bairdand Deputy Premier Troy Grant.

The forced mergers led to a fiery protest this week that shut down the first meeting under the new Administrator.

It is unclear how future meetings will operate and aligning elections for the Council with un-amalgamated councils in September this year is the only way to deliver functioning local government.

Quotes attributable to Jo Haylen, Member for Summer Hill

“The message from the Baird Government is that locals have no voice.

“The Premier has handpicked administrators and there are no checks and balances to ensure protection of services or to control over-development.

“My office has been inundated with reports of DA’s that were rejected by former councils, only to reappear days after amalgamation with extra stories thrown on top.

“It’s clear that local residents must have a say in the future of their suburbs – we need elections before the damage is done”

Quotes attributable to Jodi McKay, Member for Strathfield

"Westconnex and the Parramatta Road development will change the face of our suburbs forever.

"We need local voices to ensure we get the best outcomes from a potentially bad deal from Baird. 

"Mike Baird has implemented a cynical and politicised approach that will deprive the inner west of local representation when we most need it.