Ward and representation review recommendation

After an extensive community consultation process, the City will propose to reduce its number of councillors to eight and adjust the ward boundaries.

Last night, Councillors considered the findings of an independently run survey for the number of wards and councillors in the City and resolved to make a submission to the Local Government Advisory Board proposing the community’s preferred option: retain four wards with adjusted boundaries, and reduce the number of councillors to eight (two per ward).

Community consultation for the review of wards and representation was conducted between 16 October and 30 November 2020. The review was required to address an imbalance in representation ratios following the implementation of the City of Perth Act 2016.

The City engaged an independent research consultant to undertake a survey of community members, as well as analyse and interpret the data. The consultant gave a presentation on the responses received to Councillors at a strategic workshop held earlier this month.

These proposals will correct the uneven ratios of electors per ward, and ensure more equal representation across all four wards. If accepted, these would take effect from the October 2021 local government elections.

Timeline of ward reviews in City of Subiaco:

July 2016 
City of Perth Act came into effect, resulting in an extraordinary vacancy in the South Ward.

August 2016
Council resolved to recommend to reduce the number of Councillors in the South Ward from three to two, resulting in a reduction in the total number of Councillors to eleven plus the Mayor; this proposal was accepted by the Minister. 

August 2016 
Council resolved to undertake a review of its wards and representation.

November 2016 
Council resolved to recommend a revised four ward option with a total number of twelve Councillors plus the Mayor; this proposal was rejected by the Minister.   

February 2017 
Council was provided a further opportunity by the Board to resubmit another option. 

March 2017 
Council resolved not to decrease the number of offices of Council; this proposal was rejected by the Minister.   

September  2018 
Council resolved to undertake a review of its wards and representation.

February 2019 
Council resolved to inform the Board that it was unable to agree by an absolute majority on a change to the preferred number of Councillors and wards and was therefore unable to make a formal submission on recommended ward and Councillor structure. 

April 2019 
Notification that the Board had considered the City’s position and had resolved to request the City of Subiaco undertake a further ward and representation review and to finalise and submit by October 2020.

March 2020
Council resolved to undertake a review of the City's ward boundaries structure and councillor representation and that a futher report on ward options, including a discussion paper be presented to Council.

August 2020
Council considered the draft discussion paper and resolved to redraft the discussion paper and request the Department of Local Government to provide a further time extension with a view to a final decision of council being made at its February 2021 meeting.

September 2020
Council endorsed the redrafted discussion paper for the purposes of community consultation.

October - November 2020
Community consultation was conducted by an independent research company.

February 2021
Council resolve to make a submission to the Local Government Advisory Board proposing to retain four wards with adjusted boundaries, and to reduce the number of councillors from eleven to eight (two per ward).