Murray Bridge council acting chief executive officer Kym Miller has confirmed mayor Allan Arbon and three Riverland mayors met with South Australian Regional Development Minister Paul Caica to discuss how to maintain local representation across the new Regional Development Australia body.

The RDA will replace the Murraylands Regional Development Board and the Riverland Development Corporation later this year.

Mr Miller said the Minister had been supportive of a plan to develop a new business model for the region’s RDA body that would allow local government and businesses to maintain their input.

“We have to get our business and governance model together so it works for all players and we have to make sure our interests are represented,” Mr Miller said.

He said councils, MRDB, RDC and the State Government would now develop a model to provide one body for the region that would also allow the work of MRDB and RDC to continue after the amalgamation.

However, Mr Miller said the July 1 deadline was now unreachable and the new Murray and Mallee RDA region would work towards transition before December 31.

Former premier Rob Kerin, appointed to oversee the RDA transitions, said there would be scope for communities to make recommendations on their RDA’s composition to Mr Caica or Federal Parlia-mentary Secretary for Regional Development Maxine McKew.

“This may include the development of sub business plans under the overall business plan for the region,” he said.

Yesterday, Mr Caica told The Standard the RDA body would still be an entirely new entity.

“There’s not been a change of thinking, but rather the opportunity to speak with Riverland councils and to allay some fears about the move to RDA...And I’ve clarified what we expect,” Mr Caica said.

Offices in Murray Bridge and Berri will be maintained, as will current levels of Government funding.