FAQs

The City of Nedlands is undertaking a review of its ward system to comply with the requirements of the Local Government Act 1995 (the Act).

Schedule 2.2 of the Act requires local governments with wards to carry out reviews of the ward boundaries and the number of councillors for each ward from time to time, so that no more than eight years elapse between successive reviews.

The last review of wards in the City of Nedlands was undertaken in 2012.

The review process involves a number of steps?

• The Council resolves to undertake the review
• Public submission period opens
• Information provided to the community for discussion
• Public submission period closes
• The Council considers all submissions and relevant factors and makes a decision
• the Council submits a report to the Local Government Advisory Board (the Board) for its consideration
• If a change is proposed, the Board submits a recommendation to the Minister for Local Government (the Minister).

Any changes approved by the Minister will be in place for the next ordinary election where possible.

Under Schedule 2.2 of the Act, five factors must be taken into account by a local government as part of the review process:

1. Community of interest - elements to consider include a sense of community identity and belonging, similarities in the characteristics of the residents of a community and similarities in the economic activities
2. Physical and topgraphical features - these may be natural or man-made features that will vary from area to area and include rivers, catchment boundaries, coastal plains, parks, reserves, railway lines and freeways
3. Demographic trends - these include population size, and its distribution by age, sex, occupation and location
4. Economic factors - includes any factor that reflects the character of economic activities and resources in the area
5. Ratio of Councillors to Electors in the various wards - without wards, all councillors represent all electors equally, in principle.

• The decision-making process may be more effective and efficient if the number of elected members is reduced.  It is more timely to ascertain the views of a fewer number of people and decision making made easier.  There is also more scope for team spirit and cooperation amongst a smaller number of people.
• The cost of maintaining elected members is likely to be reduced.
• Consultation with the community can be achieved through a variety of means in addition to individuals and groups contacting their local elected member.
• A reduction in the number of elected members may result in an increased commitment and interest in participation in Council's affairs by elected members generally.
• Fewer elected members are more readily identifiable to the community.
• Fewer positions on Council may lead to greater interest in elections with contested elections and those elected obtaining a greater level of support from the community.
• there is a State wide trend in reductions in the number of elected members and many local governments have found that fewer elected members has improved their decision making process.

• A smaller number of elected members may result in an increased workload for incumbent members and may reduce efficiency and effectiveness.
• There is the potential for dominance in the Council by a particular interest group.
• A reduction in the number of elected members may limit the diversity of interests around the Council table.
• Opportunities for community participation in Council's affairs may be reduced if there are fewer elected members for the community to contact.

Advantages

1. Community Interest - The City of Nedlands is relatively homogenous local government in terms of its self-identity as a residential district, although the Hollywood ward and Coastal wards contain significant areas of civic purposed land.
2. Physical and topographical features - Nil.
3. Demographic Trends - The City shares a family led demographic.  The impact of Local Planning Scheme No. 3 will not cross ward boundaries.
4. Economic factors - Nil.
5. Ratio of councillors to electors -  is no longer an issue as all councillors represent all areas of the City.

Disadvantages

1. Community Interest - While there are commonalities in the community of interest across the City, Council may lose some ability to focus on the specific differences in the communities of interest across the City.
2. Physical and topographical features - Council may lose some ability to specifically focus on the specific differences in the physical and topographical features across the City.
3. Demographic Trends - Nil.
4. Economic factors - the City is economically diverse geographically with light industrial/commercial areas, large education facilities and large areas set aside for state and federal government purposes.
5. Ratio of councillors to electors -  Nil.

Advantages

1. Community Interest - Both wards share a common community of interest overall as a residential, village-based community. A ward system allows for specific focus on the ward-based community of interest factors.
2. Physical and topographical features - Both wards have a defining and attractive water feature boundary, the ocean to the west and the river to the east.  There is a simple and clearly delineated ward boundary.
3. Demographic Trends - Both wards share a family led demographic.  Both wards share the Local Planning Scheme No. 3 infill, including along a common boundary.  This creates a unifying effect for Council as it deals with the issues associated with infill.
4. Economic factors - The wards are economically diverse with light industrial/commercial areas, large education facilities and large areas set aside for state and federal government purposes.  A ward system allows for specific focus on the ward based economic factors, although to a lesser extent than a four-ward system.
5. Ratio of councillors to electors -  is less than 10% Ratio Deviation maximum recommended by the Department.  This is unaffected by the number of councillors and will remain the same whether there are 6, 8 or 12 councillors.

Disadvantages

1. Community Interest - Nil.
2. Physical and topographical features - Nil.
3. Demographic Trends - Nil.
4. Economic factors - Nil.
5. Ratio of councillors to electors - Nil.

Advantages

1. Community Interest - Nil.
2. Physical and topographical features - Nil.
3. Demographic Trends - Nil.
4. Economic factors - The North and Central wards have economical diversity with light industrial and commercial areas, large education facilities and large areas set aside for state and federal government purposes.  A three ward system allows for specific focus on the ward based economic factors, although to a lesser extent than a four-ward system.
5. Ratio of councillors to electors -  Final ward boundaries would need confirmation and are based on an estimate of a balance number of electors in each ward.  Under this scenario % Ratio Deviation will comply with Departmental recommendations.

Disadvantages

1. Community Interest - North ward is largely residential and civic. Central ward is also largely residential and civic. However, it contains most of the new upcoded land. South ward is largely residential.
2. Physical and topographical features - The North and South wards have defining and attractive water feature boundaries, the ocean to the west and the river to the east. The Central ward is land bound.
3. Demographic Trends - The Central ward takes the bulk of the up-coded area and will be subject to population growth ahead of the other two wards.
4. Economic factors - Nil.
5. Ratio of councillors to electors - Nil.

Advantages

1. Community Interest - All wards share a common community of interest overall as a residential, village-based community.  A ward system allows for specific focus on the ward-based community of interest factors.
2. Physical and topographical features - There is some variability in the physical and topographical features. There is a simple and clearly delineated ward boundary.
3. Demographic Trends - Nil.
4. Economic factors - The wards are economically diverse with light industrial and commercial areas, large education facilities and large areas set aside for state and federal government purposes.  A ward system allows for specific focus on the ward based economic factors.
5. Ratio of councillors to electors -  Nil.

Disadvantages

1. Community Interest - Nil.
2. Physical and topographical features - Nil.
3. Demographic Trends - The wards have disparate demographic impacts due to the Local planning Scheme No. 3 infill. 
4. Economic factors - Nil.
5. Ratio of councillors to electors - is more than 10% Ratio Deviation maximum recommended by the Department.