By Jena Carr
The Surf Coast Shire and Greater Geelong City Councils will have amended electoral structures from October following a review.
Electoral structures of 39 Victorian councils will change with the Surf Coast Shire Council due to become a multi-member ward and the Greater Geelong City Council as a single-member ward.
Minister for Local Government Melissa Horne announced the changes on February 15 following the Electoral Representation Advisory Panels’ (ERAPS) recommendation.
She said the new ward boundaries would be in place for this year’s general elections to ensure councils reflect more of the communities they represent.
“(This is) an important step in our work to reform local government and meet the expectations of communities right across Victoria,” she said.
“The ERAPS have delivered thorough work over an extensive period to ensure that Victorian councils will be set up to effectively represent their communities.”
Surf Coast Shire councillor Gary Allen said the council would operate with nine councillors under a three-ward structure across the Otway Range, Torquay, and Winchelsea wards.
“Within the Lorne Ward there were naturally diverse views. However, the majority view was that we did not wish to return to an unwarded structure, which has been accepted by the minister,” he said.
“There will be disappointment in both townships, in that Deans Marsh wished to be part of a hinterland ward and in Lorne wished to have single wards with single representation.”
Strategy and effectiveness general manager Damian Waight said there would be three councillors from each ward appointed too council after the next election.
“Surf Coast Shire will continue to have nine councillors, and the new structure will provide an even number of representatives across the community,” he said.
“The structure will be effective after the October 2024 Local Government election. We thank the members of the community who engaged in this process, and the Victorian Electoral Commission for their work.”
Greater Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan said he acknowledged the changes made by the state government.
“I have no doubt the councillors elected under the new ward structure at the next Council elections will work together to serve the community in the best way possible,” he said.
The structure amendment will see 30 Victorian councils change to a single-member ward structure, four to a multi-member ward structure, and five to an unsubdivided structure.
ERAPS was formed in October 2022 to advise the state government on the recommended structures, which included community engagement to ensure local views were considered.
The panels make recommendations for the total number of councillors for each municipality, the ward structure, the number of wards and councillors, ward boundaries, and names.
The reviews were completed to allow candidates and the Victorian Electoral Commission time to implement the necessary planning ahead of the general elections.
Initially established under the Local Government Act 2020, the legislation change resulted from extensive work and engagement from ERAPS over the past 15 months.
More information about the new electoral changes and boundary details are available at localgovernment.vic.gov.au/council-governance/electoral-representation-advisory-panels-eraps
City of Greater Geelong Council has been contacted for comment.
