Last chance to have a say on City of Albany ward and representation review

The community has less than a week left to help determine the make-up of the City of Albany council in response to incoming local government reforms.

The City’s review of wards and councillor representation levels has been open to public comment since early November and will close at 5pm on Thursday.

As of late last week, the City had received 17 responses as part of the review, which will help determine whether the ward system will be altered or abolished entirely.

All responses submitted before the deadline will be included in the table of submissions. The council is expected to consider the final recommendation at a special meeting on December 20.

City chief executive Andrew Sharpe said the planned local government reforms would result in the number of elected representatives for local government areas being determined by their population.

“Local governments with a population between 5000 and 75,000 will have a tiered number of elected members of between four and eight, with a popularly elected mayor,” he said.

“The City of Albany will reduce the number of elected representatives from 12 to eight over the next two local government elections in 2023 and 2025.

“The City’s current six wards will not be able to accommodate the required councillor to elector ratio of plus or minus ten per cent so should a ward system be retained, current ward boundaries will be abolished and new boundaries implemented.”

Initially, the City had a seven-ward system when the Town of Albany and the Shire of Albany amalgamated in 1998.

After the 2007 Ward and Representation Review, the number of wards was reduced to six.

Six wards have been maintained through subsequent reviews, which must be carried out every eight years.

The review discussion paper can be found on the City website.

Responses can be submitted through the City website, or hard copies delivered by hand to the City’s North Road administration building.