A review of Greater Shepparton City Council’s electoral structure has recommended major changes to how councillors are elected and represent their constituents.
Greater Shepparton’s “unsubdivided” structure of nine councillors without wards is no longer permitted under Victoria’s Local Government Act 2020 and must change to a structure of single councillors representing between five and 12 wards.
The Victorian Electoral Commission says Greater Shepparton City Council is among 39 local councils across the state that do not meet the requirements of the act under their current structures.
Local Government Minister Melissa Horne has formed electoral representation advisory panels to review the electoral structures of the councils in question.
Those panels are considering the appropriate number of councillors and wards for each council, the location of ward boundaries and the names of each ward.
The review will not change councils’ external boundaries or combine them.
The panel has recommended two potential models for Greater Shepparton. Both retain the current number of councillors at nine in a subdivided electoral structure, with each councillor representing one ward.
The only differences between the two models are where the ward boundaries are located.
“The panel considers maintaining nine councillors to be the most appropriate option for Greater Shepparton City Council,” the preliminary report said.
“The council currently has 46,959 voters represented by nine councillors and covers an area of 2422 sq km.
“Greater Shepparton City Council increased from seven councillors at the last review in 2015, due in part to a growing population which placed it in line with comparable nine-councillor councils.”
The report proposes the following wards for each model:
Model one: Yahna Gurtji, Flinders Park, Showgrounds, Poplar, Kialla, Midland, Pine Lodge, Goulburn River and Lower Goulburn.
Model two: Tallygaroopna, Congupna, Mount Major, Kalinga Park, Kialla, Yahna Gurtji, Midland, Goulburn River and Lower Goulburn.
The panel’s final recommendation will consider matters raised through public submissions, which are now open, and the VEC has encouraged residents in Greater Shepparton to have their say on the proposals or to suggest their own.
“As a local, you know your council area better than anyone. This is your chance to provide your views about the single-councillor ward electoral structure that you believe would best provide representation in your community,” the VEC said.
The period for members of the public to submit their suggestions on the electoral structure of Greater Shepparton City Council opened on Wednesday, July 5 and will close at 5pm on Wednesday, July 26.
More information can be found via the VEC website: https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/electoral-boundaries/council-reviews/electoral-structure-reviews/shepparton
The changes are expected to be in place for the next council elections in 2024.
After the public submissions are considered, the review panel will make a recommendation to the minister, who will then decide what is best for the council.
Council declined to comment, redirecting inquiries to the VEC.