ROCKDALE Council has established a "revival committee" for second ward amid claims by independent councillor Michael Nagi that the area has been left behind.
Second ward incorporates the suburbs of Turrella, Banksia, Wolli Creek and Arncliffe, and the new committee includes the three representatives of the area, Cr Nagi, Labor's Tarek Ibrahim and Liberal Nick Mickovski, along with Cr Liz Barlow and Cr Peter Poulos.
Cr Nagi said the council needed to do more to support his ward.
"The citizens have been treated as second class citizens," he said. "You only need to walk around the area to see all the things that need doing."
Cr Nagi said the biggest problems were the state of the footpaths, the town centres of Arncliffe and Banksia, and the amount of dumped rubbish.
Rockdale business chamber vice-president Rami Abdallah said businesses in the area needed more support.
"Everyone is crying out for some reason," Mr Abdallah said.
But not everyone agrees that second ward has been missing out.
Cr Ibrahim, who also represents the ward, pointed to several council initiatives including returfing Arncliffe Park, the upgrade of Gardner Park and the unanimous council resolution to set aside $3 million for Arncliffe Youth Centre.
"I do not believe the ward has been neglected and I think it's the responsibility of councillors to ensure this does not happen — with or without a committee," Cr Ibrahim said.
He said that the council had also been working well with the Wolli Creek Community Forum.
Deputy mayor Liz Barlow also rejected Cr Nagi's claims, saying the ward had been treated "exactly the same" as others.
