Harden mayor John Horton has scotched rumours his council’s submission to merge with Cootamundra and Gundagai under the NSW Government’s Fit for the Future NSW local government reform proposition has been withdrawn.

Mr Horton told The Young Witness yesterday the council had been advised by the NSW Government to put forward an alternative proposal for the merger of Cootamundra-Gundagai-Harden and that submission had been lodged by the new April deadline.

“It hasn’t been withdrawn, that sounds like Gundagai’s talk,” he said.

Mr Horton said the Harden community had always been unanimous in their support for a merger with Cootamundra Shire Council.

“Gundagai wants to stand alone but if we are forced to go with Gundagai we will make it work,” he said.

The rumour reached Young Shire Council’s monthly meeting last week, with general manager David Aber saying the local government minister wouldn’t take the news too lightly if it was true.

“I think it’s it is very poor play,” he said at the meeting.

Mayor Brian Ingram agreed it “wasn’t a good look”.

Of the alternative proposed merger with Young and Boorowa, Mr Horton said he didn’t have a problem with Young per se.

“I guess the only thing I don’t like is your reverse-in parking,” he said.

He speculated the community sentiment against Young could be put down to years of rivalry.

“But from a business perspective we have a lot more in common with Cootamundra,” he said.

Mr Horton said the two councils had worked hand-in-hand for years and had a good affinity with each other.

“It’s like a marriage – if you have a lot in common with someone and you like each other it has a better chance of working than, say, a shotgun marriage which might not stand the test of time,” he said.