Karridale Progress Association representatives met with the Augusta Community Development Association last night in the hopes of gaining support for the proposed merger.

Some years ago there was a push in Augusta to secede from the shire, but this failed.

Now, some are saying it will be better for them financially.

KPA member Ken John said he believed they needed 10 per cent of ratepayers’ approval to get a referendum on the issue.

“I feel we’d get better value for the ratepayers,” Mr John said.

“Our rates will be lower.”

Nannup Shire has eight councillors, and Mr John said they could have four or five members to represent them in a shire linked by the Blackwood River.

He wanted to see more focus on the ‘three Rs’ of roads, rates and rubbish, and to have more funds return to the Leeuwin region.

He cited the new $18m shire offices about to be built in town.

“Most rates are being spent around Margaret River,” he said.

“I’d like to see 30 per cent of our rates going back into our infrastructure.

“Nannup is more of a rural shire in character.

“It has a strong revenue base.

“If we amalgamate we don’t become the Nannup Shire, we’d be (something like) the Augusta-Blackwood.”

However, Augusta-Margaret River Shire deputy president Jenny McGregor said she understood only a minority of the community were behind the merger push, and such a merger would be a big mistake financially, with an estimated seven per cent rate rise.

“No ifs or buts about it,” she said.

She noted the Shire of Nannup has been assessed as category 3 by the Local Government Department, meaning long term financial sustainability is unlikely.

Local Government Minister John Castrilli would prefer an amalgamation between Manjimup, Augusta-Margaret River, Busselton and Nannup by 2014, she said.

However, she said the four-shire merger was impractical and did not believe it would happen, pointing out there would be only seven councillors to cover all four shires.