Council considers return to wards

The Bunbury City Council will this week consider a return to the four-ward system where councillors represent a section of the city.

Cr Ross Slater has suggested the city’s former four wards north, south, east and west be reinstated after being abolished in 2004.

“Although each councillor is responsible for the whole city area and its citizens, a far more focussed area makes for a better relationship between the public of that area and their selected representatives,” he said in his submission.

Cr Slater said it was important to get back to the basics, where councillors were “known, contacted and confided in within an electorate”.

He said the change should be made prior to October’s local government election, giving candidates time to campaign in their ward.

“The ward system allows for Mayoral/councillor candidates to limit their door knocking to a quarter of the dwellings, thereby resurrecting the campaign factor overlooked in recent times,” he said.

“People appreciate meeting candidates because it gives them a chance to raise issues and get to know their representatives.”

When wards were abandoned in 2004, then-CEO Greg Trevaskis said councillors should be representing the interests of the entire Bunbury community and not just wards they were elected in.

At the time he suggested if any amalgamation occurred with Bunbury’s surrounding councils, those shires could become wards with equal representation on the council.

Meanwhile, Cr Murray Cook has suggested the council reduce the number of councillors from 13 to nine.

Cr Cook said the reduction would not adversely affect the council’s governance, decision-making, community engagement or advocacy.

“It is likely that debate will be more focussed and there is the potential to improve meeting efficiency without the loss of quality decisions,” he said in his submission.

He also noted it was likely the fee councillors were paid to attend meetings would soon be increased.

The City of Busselton recently voted to reduce its number of council representatives from 11 to nine.

The councillors will hold a preliminary vote on the two issues at tonight’s committee meeting.