FAQ

There are a significant range of options that can be considered.  These might involve the number and naming of wards, the levels of Council representation in each, or the existence of wards at all.

Recognising the multiple configurations of ward boundaries possible, at the general level some options available to the Council include:        

• Dispensing with wards altogether;
• Changing the number and size of wards;
• Combining existing wards;
• Moving ward boundaries to deal with the imbalance;
• Changing the number of Councillors; or
• A combination of the above factors.

The City provides more detail on four options in its Discussion Paper

As part of the review, five factors must be considered:

1. Community of interest;
2. Physical and topographic features;
3. Demographic trends;
4. Economic factors; and
5. Ratio of councillors to electors in the various wards.

No, as part of the review process other aspects of wards and representation can be considered.  These are:

1. Creating new wards in a district already divided into wards;
2. Abolishing any or all of the wards into which a district is divided;
3. Changing the name of a district or a ward;
4. Changing the number of offices of councillor on a council; and
5. Specifying or changing the number of offices of councillor for a ward.

The last review was undertaken in 2015, which resulted in the current 5 ward structure and 2 councillor representation in each ward which came into effect at the October 2015 local government election.