Ward Boundary and Representation Review 2022

Consultation has concluded

A map of the current four wards, in pastel colours

Council has indicated its support for the package of proposed reforms, released by the Minister for Local Government, the Hon John Carey MLA, in February 2022, with the final package of proposed local government reforms released on 3 July 2022.

For Bayswater, the reforms will see the Mayor directly elected by the community, a reduction in the number of Councillors from 11 to 9, and the introduction of optional preferential voting.

BACKGROUND

On 20 September 2022 Mayor Filomena Piffaretti received correspondence from the Minister for Local Government, the Hon John Carey MLA in which he asked the City to commit to either a voluntary or reform election pathway by 28 October 2022.

In practical terms this means the City can either formulate a plan to implement the proposed changes or the Minister will declare all Councillor positions vacant, abolish wards and hold new elections to fill all Councillor positions, with a split between two- and four-year terms to re-establish an ordinary election cycle.

On 11 October Councillors held a Special Council Meeting to consider the options proposed by the Minister for Local Government and commit to a pathway. Council voted to adopt a voluntary reform pathway.

While this requires the City to undertake a ward boundary and representation review on short notice, taking action now will allow us to transition and address the proposed reforms ahead of the 2023 Council elections.

The pathway Council has chosen will cause the least disruption to the City. It will enable us to maintain wards and reduce the number of Councillors from 11 to 9 (inclusive of the Mayor) over two election cycles. This pathway also includes the election of the Mayor by the community.

A Discussion Paper prepared as part of the Ward Boundary and Representation Review was endorsed by Council at its meeting on 25 October 2022. This document presents options for public comment and invites submissions.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

A Discussion Paper has been prepared that outlines the review and presents advantages and disadvantages for a number of options relating to the ward system, including numbers of wards and their associated boundaries.

Five key criteria have been taken into consideration throughout the review process, and in determining options for the future.

The City invited preferences, comments and submissions by 5pm Thursday 15 December 2022.

Council will consider community feedback at its January 2023 meeting. All updates will be posted on this page.

Community Engagement

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the community survey. 163 responses were received and formed part of the Council report below (pp 30-38) Engagement results (pp 59-65).

https://www.bayswater.wa.gov.au/city-and-council/council/council-meetings/agendas-and-minutes/2023/january/ordinary-council-meeting-31-january-2023-minutes

Council resolved (in part) at the Ordinary Council Meeting on 31 January 2023 to make changes to the ward boundaries over two election cycles for 2023 and 2025 as follows:

(a) Retain a four-ward structure comprised of North Ward, Central Ward, West Ward and South Ward;

(b) Amend the existing ward boundaries over two elections, as follows:

(i) 2023 Ordinary election – Amend the current ward boundary between North Ward and Central Ward to use Tonkin Highway as the boundary road and transfer a small section along the western side of Ivanhoe Street Morley (from Hamersley Street through to Hannans Street) into the Central Ward; and

(ii) 2025 Ordinary election – Amend the current ward boundary between West Ward and South Ward to incorporate Option 3(b) as shown in Attachment 3, which is to extend the South Ward boundary to include a section of the suburb of Bayswater using Guildford Road as a boundary road;

(c) Reduce the number of Councillor positions from 11 to eight over two elections, as follows:

(i) 2023 Ordinary election – Reduce from 11 to 10 Councillors, by removing one Councillor position from the Central Ward; and

(ii) 2025 Ordinary election – Reduce from 10 to 8 Councillors, by removing one Councillor position from the North Ward and one Councillor position from the West Ward;

The City's proposal has now also been approved by the Local Government Advisory Board in May 2023 meaning that the changes to the first ward boundaries will now come into effect for the 2023 Local Government Elections.

Council has indicated its support for the package of proposed reforms, released by the Minister for Local Government, the Hon John Carey MLA, in February 2022, with the final package of proposed local government reforms released on 3 July 2022.

For Bayswater, the reforms will see the Mayor directly elected by the community, a reduction in the number of Councillors from 11 to 9, and the introduction of optional preferential voting.

BACKGROUND

On 20 September 2022 Mayor Filomena Piffaretti received correspondence from the Minister for Local Government, the Hon John Carey MLA in which he asked the City to commit to either a voluntary or reform election pathway by 28 October 2022.

In practical terms this means the City can either formulate a plan to implement the proposed changes or the Minister will declare all Councillor positions vacant, abolish wards and hold new elections to fill all Councillor positions, with a split between two- and four-year terms to re-establish an ordinary election cycle.

On 11 October Councillors held a Special Council Meeting to consider the options proposed by the Minister for Local Government and commit to a pathway. Council voted to adopt a voluntary reform pathway.

While this requires the City to undertake a ward boundary and representation review on short notice, taking action now will allow us to transition and address the proposed reforms ahead of the 2023 Council elections.

The pathway Council has chosen will cause the least disruption to the City. It will enable us to maintain wards and reduce the number of Councillors from 11 to 9 (inclusive of the Mayor) over two election cycles. This pathway also includes the election of the Mayor by the community.

A Discussion Paper prepared as part of the Ward Boundary and Representation Review was endorsed by Council at its meeting on 25 October 2022. This document presents options for public comment and invites submissions.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

A Discussion Paper has been prepared that outlines the review and presents advantages and disadvantages for a number of options relating to the ward system, including numbers of wards and their associated boundaries.

Five key criteria have been taken into consideration throughout the review process, and in determining options for the future.

The City invited preferences, comments and submissions by 5pm Thursday 15 December 2022.

Council will consider community feedback at its January 2023 meeting. All updates will be posted on this page.

Community Engagement

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the community survey. 163 responses were received and formed part of the Council report below (pp 30-38) Engagement results (pp 59-65).

https://www.bayswater.wa.gov.au/city-and-council/council/council-meetings/agendas-and-minutes/2023/january/ordinary-council-meeting-31-january-2023-minutes

Council resolved (in part) at the Ordinary Council Meeting on 31 January 2023 to make changes to the ward boundaries over two election cycles for 2023 and 2025 as follows:

(a) Retain a four-ward structure comprised of North Ward, Central Ward, West Ward and South Ward;

(b) Amend the existing ward boundaries over two elections, as follows:

(i) 2023 Ordinary election – Amend the current ward boundary between North Ward and Central Ward to use Tonkin Highway as the boundary road and transfer a small section along the western side of Ivanhoe Street Morley (from Hamersley Street through to Hannans Street) into the Central Ward; and

(ii) 2025 Ordinary election – Amend the current ward boundary between West Ward and South Ward to incorporate Option 3(b) as shown in Attachment 3, which is to extend the South Ward boundary to include a section of the suburb of Bayswater using Guildford Road as a boundary road;

(c) Reduce the number of Councillor positions from 11 to eight over two elections, as follows:

(i) 2023 Ordinary election – Reduce from 11 to 10 Councillors, by removing one Councillor position from the Central Ward; and

(ii) 2025 Ordinary election – Reduce from 10 to 8 Councillors, by removing one Councillor position from the North Ward and one Councillor position from the West Ward;

The City's proposal has now also been approved by the Local Government Advisory Board in May 2023 meaning that the changes to the first ward boundaries will now come into effect for the 2023 Local Government Elections.