This is it, many of us thought, back to business as usual.

But for Cabonne, it seems that reaching business as usual has not been as easy as others have found it.

Conflict between different schools of thought – the fiercely for, the fiercely opposed and the pragmatists in between trying to gain the best outcome for any eventuality – have continued long after the announcement was made.

Part of this has been spurred by re-emerging requests for boundary changes and the debates seem to be partly a game of finger-pointing: who wanted what, who was doing what and what they should have been doing.

In doing so, this has resulted in damaging remarks against three councillors, subsequently leading to their resignation.

But what has this achieved?

The council is now without three people who were well-respected with varying levels of experience. 

These people worked across water security efforts, community services like libraries and were there for community events.

While the council opposed the merger, two councillors represented the council in talks with the state government.

There is debate about whether or not Cabonne should have engaged at all, but ratepayers need only look to their neighbours – both Orange and Blayney did.

Orange and Blayney councils both resolved against a forced merger, but they realised they might not have a choice.

The choice then became either shunning the process and leaving it to fate, or be at the table to negotiate the best possible position for their communities.

Orange’s general manager Garry Styles often spoke about the importance of not giving up the seat at the table.

As it has been pointed out, had the merger proceeded, the work of these two councillors might have proven valuable. 

The NSW Office of Local Government tells us Cabonne can get by with eight councillors provided it has a quorum of five until the elections in September.

Given it will stand alone, it’s time to look forward, pull together and get on with the business of local government and the services people rely on.